Daniel Hope, Alexey Botvinov
Music for a New Century (CD)
MUSIC FOR A NEW CENTURY is a portrait of composition in postmodern times. Its quartet of pieces were all commissioned or co-commissioned by New Century Chamber Orchestra and stand as emblems of its wholehearted commitment to new work.
“One might not automatically think of putting these four composers together,” notes violinist and New Century music director Daniel Hope. “But by doing so, we’re celebrating the orchestra and its creative engagement with new music."
Philip Glass’s Third Piano Concerto was given its US West Coast premiere by the ensemble in 2018, and is here performed by Ukrainian pianist Alexey Botvinov. The other three works are receiving their world premiere recordings: Mark Anthony Turnage’s Lament for solo violin and strings; Tan Dun’s Double Concerto for violin, piano, percussion and strings, for which Botvinov again joins Hope and New Century; and a brand-new composition by Jake Heggie, written especially to mark the ensemble’s anniversary year. Between them, these emotionally eloquent works span a striking breadth of musical ideas and styles; together, they encapsulate New Century’s advocacy of contemporary classical music.
PHILIP GLASS: Piano Concerto No. 3
TAN DUN: Double Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Orchestra with Percussion
MARK-ANTHONY TURNAGE: Lament for Solo Violin and String Orchestra
JAKE HEGGIE: Overture: Joyfully
ARTISTS
Alexey Botvinov, piano
New Century Chamber Orchestra
Daniel Hope, violin & music director
