infotext:
LOVE SONG
A chance encounter about 25 years ago was the source of inspiration for the CD »Love Songs«. On that day, after a lecture, I got to know Jeannine Hummel, who was to become my wife and companion in all musical and other things. To this day she inspires me and has contributed to many of my compositions with critical understanding and an intuitive ear.
Each track on this CD is an expression of love, passion, compassion, mystery, devotion and human warmth in its own way. Six of the compositions were written over a weekend in Aspen, Colorado some 22 years ago and were originally simple pieces for voice with piano accompaniment. While I love the character of these pieces, I felt the need to expand, transform and reinvent them. I wanted to expand their sonic palette and rhythmic consistency, finding new elements in each piece and giving them a new direction; Paths that lead in and out of the pieces and that were not visible and tangible before.
I added some newer compositions with similar themes to give the original concept of the CD more variety and depth. However, what has remained throughout is the all-connecting and all-cohesive feeling of sharing a life and love with this very special loving and extraordinary woman, a feeling that fills me with deep satisfaction.
Words fail me to adequately express how much I admire the musicians involved and how grateful I am to them for their contributions, understanding and creative energy, which they brought to this project with warmth, empathy and love. My very special thanks go to the conductor Daniel Sieber, whose expertise, leadership and determination enabled the free flow of ideas, experimentation and discovery on three of the pieces.
This CD is already the fifth project that I have been able to realize in creative collaboration with NEOS Music. I have always been encouraged by their support and enthusiasm for my work, their inspiring attention to detail and competence, their sense of sonic perfection and artistic presentation. Many thanks to Wulf, Brigitte, Dominik and Markus.
Deepest thanks also go to sound engineer Małgorzata Albińska-Frank, whose hearing, understanding, enthusiasm and control have inspired the musicians to magical performances, nuanced and subtle, but always rich and creative.
Finally, thanks to Jeannine whose beautiful photos adorn each of my NEOS CDs and capture the musical mood so beautifully... the essence of what I am trying to achieve... my eternal gratitude and love.
Laurie Altman, August 10, 2021
Translation: Michael Steffens
program:
LOVE SONG
Music of Laurie Altman (* 1944)
[01] Can it Be? for mezzo-soprano, accordion, piano and cello (1997 / 2020) 07:06
[02] When Do You Know? for mezzo-soprano, soprano saxophone and piano (1997 / 2020) 03:42
[03] Starting Over for mezzo-soprano, violin, viola, cello, double bass and clarinet (alternative version 2020) 05:03
[04] Maybe tomorrow for mezzo-soprano, soprano saxophone, accordion, piano and double bass (2020) 07:44
[05] If I Loved You for mezzo-soprano, accordion, piano and cello (1944, Rogers and Hammerstein, an interpretation) 05:08
[06] forevermore for mezzo-soprano, baritone, piano and soprano saxophone (2020) 07:05
[07] Let Your Face Be (the first thing I see in the morning) for mezzo-soprano, baritone, piano and violin (1997 / 2020) 04:35
[08] adelita for mezzo-soprano, soprano saxophone, accordion, piano, synthesizer, cello and double bass (2020, Francisco Tárrega, one interpretation) 08:15
[09] Desert Eyes for violin solo (traditional music from Oman) 01:15
[10] losing my mind for mezzo-soprano, piano and cello (1971, Stephen Sondheim, one interpretation) 06:53
[11] Right Way for soprano saxophone, accordion, piano, synthesizer, cello and double bass (2010) 05:10
[12] What does it mean for mezzo-soprano, clarinet, violin, viola, cello and double bass (alternative version 1997 / 2020) 05:17
total: 67:20
Laurie Altman, baritone
Randy Bauer, piano
Aurore Cany, viola
Florian Eggner, cello
Kirill Kobanchenko, violin
Isabel Pfefferkorn, mezzo-soprano
Andrew Rathbun, soprano saxophone
Bartosz Sikorski, double bass
Srdjan Vukasinovic, accordion
Christoph Zimper, clarinet
With the participation of:
Noëlle Grüëbler, violin [07]
Musafir Al Sinani, violin [09]
Daniel Almada, synth overdubs & Francisco Sanchez Cabrera, assistant [08 & 11]
Daniel Sieber, conductor[04, 08, 11]
first recordings