September Premieres for Hannah Lash & Pierre Jalbert

by Jordan Rae Borg on Sept. 15, 2014, 3:30 p.m.

September has arrived and brought with it two upcoming premieres of new music by Hannah Lash and Pierre Jalbert. Lash’s piece Liebesbrief an Schumann (Love Letter to Schumann) is--as its title suggests--a work for solo piano paying homage to various compositional aspects of Robert Schumann’s (1810-1856) music. Lash recalls,

I approached the composition of this piece both from the standpoint of paying homage to Schumann and fulfilling my own compositional needs.

Referencing Schumann’s “fluid,” “malleable” harmonies and chromatic figuration, Lash “based [her] entire composition on a chromatic line that was able to move in an infinite variety of ways, using a songful melodic disposition as a foil.” 

Liebesbrief will receive its world premiere on September 21st presented by Lyrica Chamber Music as part of a program in which pianist and Lyrica Artistic Director David Kaplan will intersperse specially commissioned miniatures by 17 composers throughout Schumann’s Davidsbündlertänze. 

Check out a recording of Lash's piece Friction, Pressure, Impact (2012) for Cello and Piano: 

The second September premiere that should be on your radar is of Pierre Jalbert’s Howl for clarinet quintet. Howl was commissioned by the Pro Arte Quartet with Charles Neidich on B-flat and bass clarinets, and is set to premiere on September 26th at Wisconsin Union Theater on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The event will be the first classical music concert to take place in the historic theater’s newly refurbished Shannon Hall (for more info on the commission and performers, click here). 

Of Howl's origins, Jalbert maintains, 

The work...was somewhat inspired by the poem of Allen Ginsberg, not so much the content, but the long lyrical line created in the work. This long line is recreated [in Howl] by the clarinet with the strings providing an active underpinning. His poem has been referred to as a kind of 'litany of praise' and the second movement becomes the litany, with the clarinet acting as ‘Vox Dei,’ the voice of God.

Here is a video of the third movement of Jalbert's string quartet Icefield Sonnets (2004): 

Following their respective premieres, both works will be available on PSNY.

PSNY Composers at the Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music

by Ted Gordon on July 11, 2014, 10:21 a.m.

The Festival of Contemporary Music at Tanglewood is one of the highlights of the national concert season, regularly featuring stunning performances and premieres of the most exciting and provoking new music from contemporary composers. This year the festival comes a bit early, though we can't complain! PSNY composers can be found on nearly every program throughout the 5-day festival, which features chamber music, theatrical works, and orchestral works. 

Starting things off on Thursday is Fred Lerdahl's  Wake, for soprano and chamber ensemble; on Saturday, Keeril Makan's  2, Hannah Lash's  Friction, Pressure, Impact, and Anthony Cheung's  Roundabouts will be performed on the same program. Sunday morning sees the world premiere of Bernard Rands' Folk Songs, and later in the evening Kate Soper's  Helen Enfettered, a theatrical work. 

And for those in the Northeast this weekend, don't miss the latest production of Tobias Picker's  An American Tragedy at Glimmerglass, running from July 20th to August 24th. The vocal score for this work is available from PSNY, in case you want to follow along from the house. 

Argento Ensemble Features Hannah Lash and Erin Gee in New Series

by Ted Gordon on May 6, 2014, 12:26 p.m.

New York's Argento Chamber Ensemble, conducted by Michele Galante, is featuring works by Hannah Lash and Erin Gee in a new concert series at the Austrian Cultural Forum, alongside music by other American and Viennese composers. Running weekly on Fridays and Sundays, the new series kicked off on May 2nd with the world premiere of Erin Gee's Mouthpiece XIXb for solo voice and ensemble. 

Check out an excerpt from Erin Gee's Mouthpiece: Segment of the 4th Letter here: 

On May 9th, audiences will hear Hannah Lash's Friction, Pressure, Impact, for cello and piano, which was premiered by the duo TwoSense, with cellist Lisa Moore and cellist Ashley Bathgate. Through its three movements, Friction, Pressure, Impact explores the idea of musical metabolism. Have a listen to an excerpt below:



And if the music isn't incentive enough, custom ales and lagers will be provided by Brooklyn's BrewHeister after the performances, along with discussions with the performers and composers.