William Bolcom: Canciones de Lorca: Gesang mit Klavier

Bolcom is a famously eclectic stylist. The poems here are sung in Spanish and the musical accompaniment is recognizably Spanish-tinged in rhythm and color (including castanets and the like). But the composer goes much deeper thanthat; Canciones is no picture postcard. He delves into the dark, mysterious and surrealistic core of the poetry and returns us its sinews and subtexts in a varietal, mercurial music that touches upon Puccini, Mahler, jazz, Cubandance, atonal acerbity and tonal bliss. In the process, he doesn't exactly explain the sometimes difficult poetry, but he does bring it to life. -Timothy Mangan, Orange County Register, Oct. 26, 2013. With text by poet FedericoGarcia Lorca, this composition was premiered by Placido Domingo and the Pacific Symphony Orchestra under Carl St. Clarin on September 15, 2006. Recorded on Naxos 8.559788 by the Pacific Symphony, Carl St. Clair, conductor and RenéBarbera, Tenor.