Read a nice review of organist David von Behren’s new recording Psalm-Sonata and Suites, which includes Dan’s St. John’s Suite, at Voix des Arts. To learn more about the Suite.
Reviews
Cathedral Music Review of Requiem CD
Dan Locklair (b. 1949) is an American composer too little known in the UK despite a large output of compositions in a wide range of media and a CD catalogue of over 50 issues. His most important works comprise choral and orchestral music, with several symphonies and concertos already recorded. His imaginative, approachable style lies somewhere within the Copland/Roy Harris/Samuel Barber terrain, a field which some might think is already very crowded, but Locklair demonstrates that there is much hinterland here worthy of exploration. He has also absorbed the influence of the English choral tradition and in particular the music of Finzi and Rutter, as is apparent in his radiant and rich setting of the Requiem (2012-14), originally written for choir and organ and later revised to include the string orchestra heard in several movements on this recording. At 40 minutes (and with an enormously long gestation period of 30 years) it is his most substantial choral work to date. Dedicated to his mother and father, it is a warm celebration of two lovingly remembered parents. The mood is often exuberant, as in Let not your hearts be troubled, sometimes more reflective, as in the (almost Duruflé-like) Agnus Dei and Lux aeterna, which builds to a powerful climax. Very notable is the dramatic bass aria I am the Resurrection, and a magnificent setting for soprano and organ of verses from Psalm 121, immediately followed by the radiant finale In paradisum, which brings the Requiem to a fitting and satisfying conclusion.
The CD is filled out with seven further works, starting with a lovely a capella setting, with much divisi, of Comfort ye, my people, an Advent anthem based on Isaiah ch. 40, followed by a Christmas commission Calm on the listening ear of night (2017), an extended and dramatic work with organ to words by the American Unitarian minister Edward Sears. 0 light of light, a setting of the tenth-century text O nata Lux, feels like an American spiritual, and the gentle ostinati and swaying motifs of another extended anthem, Arise in beauty, contains music of rapt devotion. The contemplative, sensuous motet The Mystery of God sounds like the perfect introit for choral evensong. Finally, Dan Locklair adds to the many examples of the evening canticles with another dancing Magnificat (Kenneth Leighton’s Second Service is not too far away), composed for the Montreal Boys Choir. The lilting Nunc Dimittis, not without its moments of dramatic colour, provides the ideal complement to its Marian companion.
This is a landmark recording, taking advantage of the warm resonance of Christchurch Priory and its organ by a choir that is fully committed to this music. If the name of Dan Locklair is unfamiliar to you, I recommend that you explore this disc – you will not be disappointed. These are very high quality performances of fine music.
Bret Johnson
Cathedral Music, December 2022
American Organist: Requiem & Other Choral Works
DAN LOCKLAIR: REQUIEM & OTHER CHORAL WORKS. Choir of Royal Holloway, University of London; Rupert Gough, director’ Martin Baker’ organist; Southern Sinfonia’ Convivium Records CR070, 2022.
The stars were in alignment for this magnificent recording which features stunning music from a brilliant composer, an exceptional collegiate choir, a superstar organist, a richly voiced string ensemble, an imaginative, courageous conductor, and an impeccable audio engineer.
The music here is by one of the most prolific and talented composers of our time: Dan Locklair, a man of immeasurable gifts and imagination. Locklair’s writing for solo voice, for chorus, for instruments – and for any possible combination of these three-never fails. His oeuvre includes symphonic works’ ballet and opera, sacred and secular choral music, and, in particular solo organ repertoire. When setting texts for choirs or vocal soloists, he mines deeply the many options that lie before him, whether ancient or modern. The Requiem on this recording, for instance, mixes words of Scripture with the traditional liturgical text, not unlike the Rutter Requiem or the Britten War Requiem, whose interpolations are poetry.
Throughout the Requiem and the disc’s seven additional choral works, Locklair displays again and again his remarkable gift for tone painting, drawing every possible emotion from the text. His works grab the listener and do not let go until they have provided a sublime experience. Even after the music ends, the heart longs for more.
The recording was made in June 2021 in the acoustically rich Christchurch Priory, Dorset, U.K., under the direction of Rupert Gough, who has mastered the art of synthesizing repertoire, musical forces, and physical environment, then preparing and performing in such a way that there is nothing to criticize and everything to praise. The 22-voice Choir of Royal Holloway holds its own against any other collegiate choir and can be heard on a number of other outstanding recordings. The mixed-voice ensemble sings with excellent diction, nuance, balance and blend.
Collaborative artists in the Locklair project include Martin Baker, an international concert artist who has served as organist for both Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral. The 15-piece string ensemble, Southern Sinfonia, plays with impeccable intonation, verve, and style, all no doubt prepared and polished by artistic director Simon Chalk. Soprano Hilary Cronin, alto Elisabeth Paul, tenor Christopher Willoughby, and bass Geoff Williams provide yet more luster to this musical enterprise.
The Requiem, originally for organ and choir, was later expanded to the orchestral version heard here. All of the texts are in English. The nine movements are at times intimate and poignant, and at others infused with dignity and splendor. The organ, as heard in the Sanctus, provides vibrance and rhythmic vitality. The orchestra for In paradisum paints a sunrise, with all forces gathering to create an extraordinary climax, as resurrection and eternal life are revealed. In short, every movement has its own pictorial persona.
The seven other works are equally compelling and extraordinarily diverse in what they offer: “Comfort Ye,” both gentle and jubilant; “Calm on the Listening Ear,” a welcome new take on Christmas itself; “O Light of Light,” a time of reveling in unaccompanied voices; “Arise in Beauty,” a gripping and lively embrace of Angier Brock’s evocative text; “The Mystery of God,” mysterious and lovely. The closing Magnificat and Nunc dimittis are a spine-tingling tour de force for organ and choir. Perhaps unexpectedly, there is a quiet ending to these canticles, and thus to the entire recording-some 73 minutes of gravitas, elegance, sophistication, and excitement.
The disc’s copious and attractive notes, texts, and photographs not only are informative but also make possible a deeper and fuller appreciation of the music. Final high praise is due to recording engineer Adaq Khan for capturing the full essence of the music, the performers, and the space. The sound is unfailingly full and satisfying.
Richard Coffey
From the July 2022 issue of American Organist magazine.
From American Record Guide: Requiem and Other Choral Works
From American Record Guide’s July/August 2022 Issue:
LOCKLAIR:
Requiem; choral pieces
Comfort Ye My People; Calm on the Listening Ear of Night; O Light of Light; Arise in Beauty; Mystery of God; Magnificat; Nunc Dimittis
Hilary Cronin, Elisabeth Paul, Christopher Willoughby, Geoff Williams; Martin Baker, org;
Royal Holloway Choir; Southern Sinfonia/ Rupert Gough—Convivium 70—73 minutes
I have admired Dan Locklair’s music over the years and am pleased to do so again. The main work is his 40-minute Requiem, an uplifting piece that celebrates life and dispenses consolation in its 9 sections, all sung in English. It is non-liturgical in scope, with `Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled’, `I Am the Resurrection’, and `I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes’ joining the usual subdivisions of the Mass. As always with this composer, the writing is accessible, deeply felt, and notably un-slushy. (With so many contemporary choral composers ready to shimmer, glimmer, and go gooey at the drop of a hat, it’s nice to come across one who isn’t.) Locklair wrote his Requiem for choir and organ, but billowed the accompaniment out into a string orchestra format that works nicely with the lush choral writing. One section that could see duty on its own is the jaunty `I Will Lift up Mine Eyes’ for soprano and organ. It’s delightful.
The shorter works range from an invocation of the first Christmas (`Calm on the Listening Ear’) to a sacred song celebrating the composer’s wife’s birthday (`Comfort, comfort’). I don’t recall other Locklair releases coming to us from such deluxe musical and sonic circumstances! Royal Holloway of London is one of the really good choirs the Brits have, the soloists are excellent, and the recording made at Christchurch Priory in Dorset flatters everyone, the composer included. He deserves it. What a nice release!
GREENFIELD
From Organists Review: Requiem and Other Choral Works
This is an excellent CD. I knew that from the opening Introit and Kyrie Eleison. Locklair’s music is lush, melodic and mellifluous, harking back to the first half of the 20th century in its voice yet distinctive in its approach to rhythm and structure, as well as the dramatic word setting. The work is a worthy addition to the repertoire. The first 45 minutes of the disc comprise the Requiem, completed in its final form in 2015. The nine movements alternate chorus and organ-accompanied solo movements, three of which use ‘non-traditional texts of comfort and assurance from Biblical scripture’. The combination of Royal Holloway’s exceptional choir with orchestra, organ, and soloists is impressive, and Rupert Gough and Convivium Records are to be congratulated on a first-rate recording. Martin Baker’s playing deserves particular praise, as does Geoff Williams’s rendition of movement 6, I am the Resurrection.
The second part of the CD showcases a range of Locklair’s other sacred music. ‘Comfort ye my people’ is a moving a cappella work for divided SATB choir and accompaniment; Calm on the listening ear of night for choir and organ, using a Christmas text by Edmund Sears, is a delight, made so by Baker’s playing, and a fine organ! 0 light of light, dedicated to Robert Gough, receives its world premiere on the CD, along with The Mystery of God, dedicated to Malcolm Archer. Arise in Beauty, from 2009, sets words by Angier Brock in an invocation of The Book of Common Prayer and scripture. The programme is completed by the Montreal evening canticles. All this repertoire demonstrates the composer’s vigour and versatility perfectly. It is good that the sleeve notes are by Locklair himself. They add much to this excellent recording. lt is one of the best I have reviewed for some time!
Review: Requiem and Other Choral Works
Read a review by Marjorie Johnston from the May-June 2022 issue of The Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians of Dan’s Requiem and Other Choral Works CD (Convivium CD070) here. It’s reprinted with the kind permission of The Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians.
There has been a buzz in the air about the recording of Dan Locklair’s Requiem in the months leading up to its release in March of 2022, and it is a privilege to be among the first to review it. Soon after completing the work for SATB chorus, four soloists, and organ in 2014, the composer undertook an extensive revision to include a string orchestra. That version, completed in 2015, is superbly performed and recorded on this disc, though both editions are available through Subito Music Corporation. Dr. Locklair dedicated his Requiem to his parents, hoping it may be “a small, yet fitting memorial to their rich lives.”
His setting incorporates Biblical texts of comfort and assurance and the traditional Requiem Mass movements (all in English), artfully connecting everything so there is no sense of fragmentation. In our phone interview, I asked how he achieved this. “Whenever I plot out a piece, I do so with a certain plan … as I look over the text, I have an idea of the tonal centers and where I want things to go. But then, music doesn’t always go by a plan, does it? Craft is what really matters, so I have to be open to surprise and wonder! It’s okay to go against your own plan for sound musical reasons. Everything has its roots in the things you’ve consciously learned and applied over the years, so if you’ve worked hard at your craft, you don’t really have to think about it.”
The Introit and Kyrie Eleison opens with an inviting string sound. After listening to the recording a few times, it became harder and harder to imagine choosing the original setting accompanied only by organ if budget and space would allow for strings. The soloists join the choir at “Lord, have mercy upon us,” with the choir almost sighing on “Lord” and “Christ” when they repeat the text. There’s an expansive shape to this opening movement, and at nearly eight minutes, it gives the listener a chance to settle in and commit to the complete work.
Each soloist has a movement assigned, beginning with “Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled,” a lovely and linear aria for tenor. Christopher Willoughby has a naturally warm voice and is probably accustomed to people referring to him as a baritone or a bari-tenor because of his rich sound. It’s not only a gorgeous voice – he’s very musical, so future performers can appreciate and learn from his example recorded here. Because these solo movements are accompanied by organ only, each can be offered independently. “You do have to think practically,” Dr. Locklair explained. “You have to think about money and space, and by including the solos internally, there are really only five movements for the choir to rehearse, and you can just plug in the solo movements. The use of strings for the rest of the work makes the organ’s wind solos on these movements even more distinctive.”
The Sanctus – Benedictus has three distinct sections, with the text set very naturally in the opening with separation of “Holy, holy, holy.” “Blessed is he that cometh” has an intentional quote of the tune Picardy before building to the glorious “Hosanna,” making terrific use of the organ’s trumpet stop. The organ at Christchurch Priory, Dorset (most recently restored and modified by Nicholson Organs), and gifted organist, Martin Baker, were the perfect choices for this debut recording.
The Pie Jesu is for alto solo. It is beautiful and appropriate, but not self-indulgent. Elisabeth Paul sounds as if she were put on earth to be a mezzo, with an even tone from top to bottom. All the soloists – while very professional – seem to have innate vocal production, as if they were “unharmed by voice lessons,” as a soprano friend once said. A serious alto will find a myriad of opportunities to use this piece.
The choir returns for the Agnus Dei. The women have imitative entrances with the strings and organ; then, a violin solo leads to the second iteration of the text sung by the men, with a bit simpler statement. A solo cello leads from that to the SATB third section employing full strings. The chord at the end of the piece is set in an inversion, signifying “eternal rest.” A light, floaty sound is called for, and the Choir of Royal Holloway makes it sound effortless. “I Am the Resurrection” is set for bass/baritone solo with organ. It begins matter-of-factly with the recitative, “Jesus said unto her,” but then goes into a spirited dialogue between the singer and the solo trumpet on the organ – very perky and likable. It is sung expertly by Geoff Williams and would be a good choice for that way-too-early Easter service if the full choir is not an option.
The Lux aeterna uses the full performing forces. After the strings open and the first vocal line is offered in unison, the stacked entrances that follow on the word “everlasting” are very effective. There is an almost static harmony for a time, and there is a relief when it breaks. The beautiful choral writing at the close uses constant forward motion to provide the text painting on “perpetual light shine upon them.”
Hilary Cronin is the soprano soloist for “I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes.” The aria has a bright, lively opening but subtly smoothes out a bit on “neither slumber nor sleep” and continues legato for the next section. The organ part keeps perking along, even when the singer is calm. The Rondo form used here is ideal. “Form can make the music even more powerful at times,” Dr. Locklair said. When I asked about the text painting throughout the work, he was pleased that it was simultaneously evident and subtle, prompting my inquiry. “I really enjoy setting the language in the most natural way. Text rules the day,” he stated. There is a dramatic build-up to a high C at the end of the movement, and one can understand why Dr. Locklair specifically asked for Ms.Cronin after hearing her in an Evensong recording on BBC, conducted by Mr. Gough. “Rupert was wise to incorporate parts of the Requiem into other things the choir and soloists were doing before the recording sessions began. They already had much of this music in their bones,” he said. Dr. Locklair also raved about Mr. Gough. “I hold Rupert in the highest esteem; he is so thorough and has good musical sense and judgment.” That is evidenced by the sound he draws out of the Choir of Royal Holloway. Southern Sinfonia is an excellent ensemble, as well.
The closing movement, In Paradisum – Requiescant in pace, has a pastoral sound that suggests the opening of a Merchant-Ivory film. It incorporates the signature raised 4th that Dr. Locklair uses so well in his music. The soloists return to join the entire ensemble, and a majestic crescendo makes it easy to visualize the martyrs receiving souls into the Holy City. The movement and the Requiem close with a serene, “Rest in peace.”
Since most AAM members are always important to address the rest of the disc: Other Choral Works. Some may already know the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (Montréal) composed for the 40th anniversary of the Montréal Boys’ Choir Course in 2000, but if not, it is worth consideration. It is offered on this disc with great beauty and enthusiasm by the choir and Mr. Baker at the organ.
Track 10 is an absolutely gorgeous new setting of Comfort Ye My People. I don’t know of another that offers a welcome contrast to the familiar hymn tune, Psalm 42, or the classic tenor solo from Handel’s Messiah. “It’s such a powerful text, and I felt it needed to be set in a different way,” Dr. Locklair said. “Dale Adelmann did it with his choir in December, and I actually received nice notes from some of his singers!” This setting is an a cappella work for SATB chorus with some divisi toward the end. The first two stanzas, “Comfort ye my people” and “Speak ye to Jerusalem,” are warm and enveloping and almost strophic in nature; then the writing for “Hark, the voice of the one that crieth” has more movement and excitement, while remaining congruous with what precedes it. Amid the activity, modulation, and extended ranges for sopranos and basses, the words, “…make the rougher places plain” rock back and forth on just two chords. The final section is reminiscent of the beginning but ends on an uplifting major VI chord at, “…that the word is never broken.” Written in 2020 and dedicated to Dr. Locklair’s wife, Paula, I can easily imagine this being one of the composer’s most popular anthems, along with his O Sacrum Convivium of 1999 and his beloved organ work Rubrics of 1988.
Calm on the Listening Ear of Night follows – a Christmas anthem commissioned in 2017 by Aurelia Gray Eller, a friend and beloved member of the choir at Dr. Locklair’s home parish, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The text comes from Unitarian minister Edmund H. Sears, best known for It Came Upon the Midnight Clear. The anthem uses Mr. Sears’ own revision of his poem and creates a serene ambiance at the opening as the angels, the lands, and even the atmophere anticipate Christ’s birth. Mr. Baker’s sensitive playing and registration choices play a significant role in achieving this aura. It builds to a glorious celebration, followed by an organ interlude that restores the calmness of the beginning in a satisfying conclusion. Mrs. Eller commissioned the work in memory of her late husband and grandson, and she died just a few months after the work was premiered by Organist/Choirmaster Dr. John Cummins and his choir at St. Paul’s.
Logically, Advent and Christmas pieces are followed by one appropriate for Epiphany, O Light of Light, dedicated to Rupert Gough. The opening is set for SATB divisi and serves as a refrain between stanzas featuring soprano and tenor soloists. This fresh Epiphany anthem would be an enjoyable and approachable challenge for choir members returning after Christmas.
The text for the next anthem, Arise in Beauty, by poet Angier Brock, is an inspiring discovery. It presents a positive, grateful approach to both the morning and the evening and could be read as prayer. As Dr. Locklair states in his liner notes: “Ms. Brock’s poetry is also filled with wonderful twists on traditional texts (such as in the creative and reverse naming of the Trinity in speaking of “Inventing Wind,” “Generous Christ,” and “Luminous God”).” And the music does not disappoint, with colorful writing for both the organ and the SATB chorus. I inquired of Dr. Locklair if there is pressure to “measure up” to incredible poetry and texts he is asked to set: “It’s only stressful when there’s a double commission, and you just don’t know what you’re going to get, but obviously Angier is a fabulous poet whose work I am eager to share. There’s nothing more challenging than finding the right text. But I’ve developed a sense of what will work and, equally important, what won’t work. There are things I love reading that I don’t feel called to set.”
Having worked with Dr. Locklair on a commissioned piece before, I know the care and scholarship he brings to finding a worthy text. The Mystery of God is another anthem introducing a poem that genuinely resonates for this reader. It was written in 1876 by an American Unitarian minister, Frederick Lucian Hosmer. Mystery is a hallmark of our faith for many Episcopalians and this exquisite poem successfully marries mystery (mystery – not doubt) and faith. Again, Dr. Locklair matches the text with his gentle approach and a reserved climax for the final words, “an open path to thee.”
Returning to the disc’s headliner, I believe Dr. Locklair’s Requiem takes its place comfortably among the known Requiems, and I predict that it will be programmed widely in the years to come. “I hope you’re right!” he said. “Composers tend to only write one Requiem, and while I’d be open to a full orchestration of this for the concert hall, I don’t plan to write a second one. It takes a while for a piece to find its way into the repertoire, and it does so one listener at a time.” Additional strong reviews of this disc are sure to follow, and since Naxos now distributes Convivium, the availability of the recording is quite comprehensive internationally. I strongly encourage my AAM colleagues to buy and enjoy this recording
Dan Locklair – Symphony No. 2, “America” optimistic and hopeful
September 10, 2020 | By Ralph Graves
Dan Locklair is best known as an organist and a composer of works for his instrument. But there’s a strong correlation between writing for organ and writing for orchestra — just ask Anton Bruckner. Many contemporary choral and organ composers write tonal music, free from academic fussiness.
Locklair certainly falls into that group. And while his style may be tonal, it’s an expanded tonality that gives his music a fresh sound.
His Symphony No. 2, “America” is an exuberant celebration in sound. Each movement is based on a holiday, and obliquely quotes music associated with those holidays.
The work succeeds in sounding American without being an Aaron Copland pastiche. Locklair’s original take on the tunes he incorporates keeps the music just on the edge of familiarity. And it keeps the listener engaged.
Hail the Coming Day is also full of good spirits. It was composed to celebrate the centennial of Winston-Salem and contains several programmatic elements. There’s the clanging of industry and an evocation of Moravian brass bands. It’s an occasional piece that’s well-suited to its occasion — and would make a dynamite opener for a symphony concert!
Locklair’s Concerto for Organ and Orchestra shows just how closely the two forces can be related. Locklair carefully blends the various organs stops with parallel sounds in the orchestra. It serves to blur the lines between the two. While the organ and orchestra do exchange musical ideas, there are many times when they speak with one voice — a very powerful and moving voice.
Organist Peter Mikula performs with skill and enthusiasm. Locklair knows his instrument and demands a lot from the soloist. Mikula delivers, making this work a delight to listen to.
PHOENIX is a reworking of a three-minute fanfare for brass. Locklair transforms it into a 10-minute work for orchestra. Brass is still a major element, but in this version, the orchestra develops and reshapes the fanfare in interesting ways.
The Slovak National Symphony Orchestra keeps the energy level high throughout the recording. Conducting duties are shared by Kirk Trevor (Symphony No. 2, PHOENIX) and Michael Roác (Organ Concerto and Hail the Coming Day). And yet there’s remarkable consistency across the album. This is an album of optimism and hope. And sometimes, that’s just what you need.
Dan Locklair: Symphony No. 2, “America”
Hail the Coming Day; Concerto for Organ and Orchestra; PHOENIX
Peter Mikula, organ
Slovak National Symphony Orchestra; Kirk Trevor, Michael Roác, conductors
Naxos
American Organist Review: Symphony No.2 “America” CD
This attractive disc offers world-premiere recordings of four orchestral works by one of America’s most distinguished composers, Dan Locklair, composed between 2007 and 2016. In each, Locklair’s signature style, characterized by lively rhythms, succinct, engaging, and oft-repeated motives, vibrant colors in both harmony and instrumentation, and clear, well-structured forms, is crafted in new, refreshing ways.
The complete review:
MusicWeb International Review: Symphony No.2 “America” CD
From MusicWeb International
This CD is part of Naxos’ American Classics series, and features the works of Dan Locklair who is Composer in Residence and Professor of Music at the Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
At the outset let me say that all the music presented here is tonal and makes an immediate impact by virtue of its colourful orchestration and, in the “America” symphony, its tunes based on traditional patriotic songs. The symphony opens in a manner which immediately reminded me of Copland in rumbustious ‘cowboy’ mood, and the piece is clearly written for inclusion in concerts that celebrate the ‘ideal’ American life. Thus, the movements are entitled ‘Independence Day’, ‘Memorial Day’ and ‘Thanksgiving Day’, with well-known melodies associated with those holidays being central to each movement. The work is easy to enjoy thanks to these memorable tunes and the composer’s flair for appropriate orchestration.
For me the most interesting work on the CD is the three-movement Organ Concerto which, like PHOENIX and ‘Hail the coming day’, was composed as a commission. The second, Canto movement formed the genesis of the concerto, and its striking subtitle “To God and dog”, initially struck me as rather strange, but it turns out that it was composed with his beloved Shetland Sheep dog by his side, and this dog died in 2009. The movement “celebrates the sacred in all creation through the musical symbolism of the word ‘God’”, with those three letters forwards and backwards creating triads on which the movement is founded. The composer also introduces the 11th Century Plainsong melody ‘Divinum Mysterium’, and these three components of the movement generate a pleasing, largely contemplative design that rises to a climactic final section using the plainsong melody. The orchestration is for strings, woodwind and percussion, and of course, organ.
The two outer movements are very energetic and make use of the triad in their structure. The organ is prominent; indeed, the very opening of the symphony is most striking. I don’t think that the melodic material of the first movement is as distinguished as that of the slow movement, but then it is only 60% of the length. The last movement is a toccata that uses the works uniting triad with an energetic driving rhythm complete with organ cadenza leading to an exuberant conclusion.
PHOENIX (the capitals are used in its title) began life as a three-minute fanfare, but has since been expanded and now exists as a piece for full orchestra and organ. In it there is a dialogue between an off-stage brass ensemble and an identical one contained within the orchestra. As the work continues, the dialogue envelops the entire orchestra. The centre of the work is a stately processional that leads to a triumphant conclusion for the full orchestra.
By far the shortest piece on this CD is the five minute “Hail the coming day”, described as a festive piece for orchestra. It was composed to celebrate the history of the townships of Winston and Salem and their eventual coming together to form a unified town. It is a pleasant piece in five short sections in which the composer seeks to illustrate the commercial and industrial history of the two places as well as the early settlers, some of whom were of Moravian ancestry who were particularly fond of brass bands. Their musical heritage forms a part of the work when the composer uses a traditional Moravian melody.
All in all, this is a very enjoyable CD. I’m interested to see that a Professor of music, in an American University, feels no need to write dodecaphonic music, and I take that to indicate that the serial hegemony which prevailed for so long in Western Universities, has now been laid to rest.
The recording is a good one, although I sometimes feel that the thud of heavy percussion is rather clouded. The orchestra is newish, formed of members of other orchestras in Bratislava, and they play well, although I think that the strings sound rather thin. The booklet is well presented with thorough notes by the composer.
Jim Westhead
CVNC Review; Symphony No. 2 “America”
Dan Locklair: A Bundle of Works Inspired by and Premièred in NC
Dan Locklair: Symphony No. 2, ‘America,’ Hail the Coming Day, Concerto for Organ and Orchestra, PHOENIX for orchestra. Slovak National Symphony Orchestra, Kirk Trevor, cond. (Sym. & PHOENIX), Michael Roháč, cond. (Cto for Organ), Peter Mikula, organ. Naxos 8559860 (American Classics series), © 2019; TT 63:03; $12.99, from Arkiv Music.
Composer Dan Locklair opens his enlightening notes about the works by insisting on their “roots” in his home state; hence I emphasize it in my title. These notes detail their dates of composition (2016, 2013, 2010, and 2007, in the recorded order, but the last is a re-working of one first written in 1979, reworked with an altered instrumentation in 1985, and yet again likewise in 2006). All are celebratory in nature and were commissioned for specific such events; the subtitle of the second is: “A Festive Piece for Orchestra,” and it was composed for the centennial of the union of the towns of Wilson and Salem on 12 May. All contain melodies or tunes that are carefully chosen for their significance and generally recognizable, though most are altered slightly.
The perhaps most interestingly structured one is the Organ Concerto, that uses the G-major triad: G – B – D, which symbolically represents God, and also uses its retrograde form: D – B – G, which spells dog, in its longest central Canto movement; Locklair composed the work while his faithful Shetland sheepdog was dying. The “America” symphony is divided into three movements with the names of three major holidays: Independence Day, Memorial Day, and Thanksgiving Day; the order perplexes because they are not in calendar or historical creation/establishment order, or in the order of the composition of their base melodies, all of which he identifies (as he does for all the works); he doesn’t offer an explanation.
Like all of Locklair’s music that I’ve heard, this is easy on the ear, tonal, pleasant, and rewarding, increasingly even, upon re-hearing/listening. It is also original, not imitative of anyone else’s, and modern but not disjointed or dissonant, so that in some ways it brings to my mind that of Robert Ward (1917-2013; no relation, though I knew him), but in a more common-ground, perhaps less intellectual, style.
Another composer who sprang immediately into my mind upon reading the names of the movements of Symphony No. 2 is Charles Ives, whose music was structured similarly and used similar materials, albeit it with more dramatic contrasts and unorthodox alterations of the melodies, that were surprising, if not shocking, upon their first hearings, although we have by now become accustomed to them. This was certainly because I recently heard a live performance of his Three Places in New England (“First Orchestral Set”, 1910-14, rev. 1929, 1 mvmt each), so I took out my two very different recordings of his orchestral music, entitled respectively A Set of Pieces; “Music by Charles Ives” (DG, 1994) and Charles Ives; An American Journey (SONY, 2002) to re-listen to them (long after I had settled on my title!); both include this work. The former also includes his Symphony No. 3, “The Camp Meeting” (1908-10; also with 3 movements, but No. 2 has 5); the latter includes choral works, such as “Psalm 100” and “Serenity,” and songs, such as “The Things Our Fathers Loved, and “General William Booth Enters into Heaven.” that are similarly inspired and constructed. His perhaps most famous works are Variations on America for organ (1892), though it is not included on either, and The Unanswered Question for strings, 4 flutes, and trumpet (1906, note the tripartite instrumentation) that is included on both. Then I re-listened (yet again) to Locklair’s.
The century-later lineage is pretty obvious if one thinks about it, but the music does not imitate Ives’ in any way, so it is not striking until you’ve done what I did. Ives’ was often an ironic or satiric allusion to contemporary patriotic, chauvinistic even, and perhaps hypocritical, sentiments, that he did not consider appropriate, highlighting them as something excessive or misguided, of which to be wary; Loclkair’s is also patriotic, but not overtly or chauvinistically so, and sincerely honors inclusive attitudes and events. Note that his, like Ives’ (including his “Orchestral Set No. 2”; No 3 was never completed), is constructed in 3 movements. To confirm, I suggest you look at the list of Ives’ principal works. Locklair’s music is more straightforward, blends more into the culture rather than standing out from or commenting on it, and is perhaps less diverse, but is no less excellent or worthy, no less interesting and enjoyable, and hopefully as long-lasting in the repertoire of this century and the next as is Ives’. These performances are engaged and engaging; even if only one of the personnel (Trevor) is America-based, the spirit has been well captured.