Search - Paul Creston, Gerard Schwarz, Seattle Symphony Orchestra :: Paul Creston: Symphony No.3; Partita for Flute, Violin & Stings, Op. 12; Out of the Cradle; Invocation & Dance, Op. 58

Interesting Creston Sampler

Eugene G. Barnes | Dunn Loring, VA USA | 03/05/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here's a recording that predates the popular Naxos recording of Creston's first three symphonies. As this CD was successful enough to warrant a sequel (Delos' Orchestral Works, Volume II), we may suppose that it probably did much to make the Naxos recording possible. This CD and the Naxos have a symphony in common, Number Three (1950). Schwarz and the Seattle band don't have Naxos' somewhat more spacious Ukrainian acoustics, but they do have significantly more accurate playing (especially in the fast violin passage toward the end of the third movement), and I kind of prefer the slight emphasis of brass and winds from Seattle.The present recording also gives us a sampling of some early Creston, the Partita, Op. 12 (1937), a five movement Baroque/Classical bow with plenty of fancy passages excellently played by Scott Goff and Ilkka Talvi. Not desert island fare by any means, but it does offer an important hint as to the solid foundation upon which Creston would soon build.The tone poem "Out of the Cradle" shows us that rich palate of colors Creston had at his disposal and how he could weave them into a sumptuous tapestry of sound.The CD ends with "Invocation and Dance," a work made popular by virtue of its being on the first offering of the groundbreaking Louisville Orchestra series of LPs in the early 50's. It's Creston's calling card, a rhythmic tour de force in the grand tradition of Ravel's and Stravinsky's exotic dance music. (Why, sometimes you feel just like you've fallen into a Ginastera or Chavez black hole.) By any measure, it's one of the most striking examples of its kind in American music, fully deserving of far wider play than it has ever received. The Delos recording provides more detail than the old Louisville mono LP (as fine as that was for its time!), and that means we get to hear all the interesting structures and devices that make the piece come together as well as its more obvious overall power and sweep. I would recommend this CD solely for this 13 minute unjustly neglected masterpiece (no collection of American music could be called complete without it), but of course it's great to have all the other pieces on it as well."

Marvelous recording of Creston's work

Eugene G. Barnes | 05/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD introduced me to the work of Paul Creston. Creston is, perhaps, a quintessential American composer. Born into a poor family, he basically taught himself to become a composer, an organist, and a pianist.His work did pay off, as is demonstrated by these works. Especially reccommended is his Symphony No. 3 "Three Mysteries". For anyone who loves American music, this CD is a must have."