Old & New Poetry
Navona, 2021
8/10
The composer Carl Vollrath brings us the works of the esteemed poets William Blake, Sara Teasdale and John Gracen Brown on this flawlessly executed listen, where Aliana de la Guardia and Emalie Savoy handle vocals, Timothy Phllips contributes clarinet, Philipp Staudlin takes up saxophone and both Yoko Hagino and Nathan Brandwein grace us with their piano playing.
“Five Songs On The Text Of William Blake” starts the listen with 5 movements that display sublime soprano singing alongside versatile keys that span warm and bare to jumpy and playful, and the vocals follows suit with much eloquent expression.
The middle track, “Love Songs”, welcomes very precise clarinet from Phillips as the unpredictable singing excels in both sparse moments as well as a firm presence amid vivid storytelling.
“Variations In Verse-Rural Poems” finishes the listen and brings atmosphere, melody and a dreaminess to the very meticulous exit which includes Staudlin’s agile brass, and that, even in 14 movements, ends much too soon.
Vollrath bridges the literary with the musical here, and does so equally with intimacy and exploration, where each movement offers new surprises and guides us on a thoughtful journey through timeless song craft.
Travels well with: The Crossing- A Native Hill; Ilja Hurnîk- Gratias