This collection of thoroughly American music comes from Britain's Aurora Orchestra. Like many other releases it mixes classical and vernacular materials; unlike most other such examples, it tries to bring together diverse audiences, with several traditional songs performed by fast-rising Vermont balladeer Sam Amidon in arrangements by contemporary composer Nico Muhly. The theme is travel, and John Adams' Chamber Symphony, with its "walking bass" middle movement and Roadrunner finale (quite a bit like the music of Michigan ...
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This collection of thoroughly American music comes from Britain's Aurora Orchestra. Like many other releases it mixes classical and vernacular materials; unlike most other such examples, it tries to bring together diverse audiences, with several traditional songs performed by fast-rising Vermont balladeer Sam Amidon in arrangements by contemporary composer Nico Muhly. The theme is travel, and John Adams' Chamber Symphony, with its "walking bass" middle movement and Roadrunner finale (quite a bit like the music of Michigan composer Michael Daugherty), takes on an entertaining quality in this perspective. Does the whole thing hold together? One leans to yes while hearing the underperformed original version of Copland's Appalachian Spring, so much more lithe and spontaneously magical than the full-orchestra version, and completely integrated with the rest of the program. One leans to no with the final Paul Simon number, which just does not click with what has gone before. One might take issue with a few...
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