Resonances
Albany, 2021
8/10
The esteemed composer and educator Ingrid Arauco brings some significant collaborators to these 4 compositions from the past decade, and the varied talent present turn in some impressive performances that embrace both the past and present with its rich tone.
“Sonata For Two Pianos” starts the listen with fascinating and agile keys that are delivered with much poise and adventurousness as both Charles Abramovic and Marcantonio Barone both provide their piano skills, and “Sonata For Piano” follows with both intimacy and a firmness, as Barone provides very diverse, strategic key strikes.
The back half of the listen offers the sublime string arrangements of “String Quartet No. 3”, where the Ying Quartet helps cultivate a stirring mood that benefits much from Robin Scott and Janet Ying’s violin, as well as Phillip Ying’s viola and David Ying’s cello. The title track then finishes the listen, and showcases Abramovic’s sublime piano playing that displays a stirring vulnerability, effectively making this the album highlight.
Certainly an ideal listen for those with an ear towards chamber music, the stunning piano work and captivating strings make every movement here worth repeated listens, and the players on hand do a superb job illuminating Arauco’s vision.
Travels well with: David Holzman- Musical Connections; Stephen Yip- Quietude