American Discoveries
New Focus, 2021
8/10
Listen to American Discoveries
The 4th release in their ongoing series, the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra and Reuben Blundell team up again to offer us previously unrecorded orchestral compositions, and this time it’s from a trio of female composers.
Priscilla Alden Beach’s “City Trees” starts the listen with soothing strings and plenty of warmth unfolding amid graceful textures, moments of sublime intimacy and larger swells of booming brass. A colorful 4.5 minutes, the lush climate dances around orchestral and classical ideas with much precision.
Linda Robbins occupies the middle track, where “For A Beautiful Land” bursts with crashing percussion, tense strings and booming drums that occasionally shift into calmer ebbs of beauty. A composition that pays homage to her home state of Iowa, it’s a rhythmic, frisky and cautious 10+ minutes that really displays meticulous woodwinds.
“Behemoth, in five short movements”, by Alexandra Pierce, exits the listen and leads with a haunting quality before segueing into unpredictable, adventurous song craft. The middle movement is the calmest and emits a soothing, cinematic appeal, before exiting on a burlesque focus that places much melody in the hands of the very capable brass.
Blundell leads the ensemble through a very spirited outing, where he illuminates the many strengths of the players as they place some much needed and deserved attentions towards the timeless vision of the women’s robust songwriting.
Travels well with: The City Of Tomorrow- Blow; Daniel Lippel- Aufs Lautenwerk