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Lowell Liebermann: World Premiere Recordings Project
“There is real magic in this music…All four works have the real potential of joining the permanent repertory of classic concerto fare, deservingly….It is a gem of a program to appreciate over a long time…” ——Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review
Executive Producer: Dr. Vladimir Dyo
Executive Producer: Dr. Vladimir Dyo
Album Cover
REVIEWS
“Blue Griffin’s ambitious programme of Lowell Liebermann world premieres is dominated by the immersive relationships the soloists develop with the composer’s broad orchestral spectrum…Liebermann’s epic visions, often in surges of bassoons, double basses and low brass, bloom into cinematic universes. Liebermann’s Violin Concerto, premiered by Chantal Juillet and the Philadelphia Orchestra, seethes with intoxicated lyrical imagination...Aiman Mussahajayeva and her orchestra take no prisoners with Liebermann’s demands for spectacular virtuoso display, passionate rhapsody and sheer instrumental power…music that enchants the ear as much as it impresses the intellect. — Gramophone
“Blue Griffin’s ambitious programme of Lowell Liebermann world premieres is dominated by the immersive relationships the soloists develop with the composer’s broad orchestral spectrum…Liebermann’s epic visions, often in surges of bassoons, double basses and low brass, bloom into cinematic universes. Liebermann’s Violin Concerto, premiered by Chantal Juillet and the Philadelphia Orchestra, seethes with intoxicated lyrical imagination...Aiman Mussahajayeva and her orchestra take no prisoners with Liebermann’s demands for spectacular virtuoso display, passionate rhapsody and sheer instrumental power…music that enchants the ear as much as it impresses the intellect. — Gramophone
Astana Opera Recording Studio
(5 stars) “The centerpiece of the album is the 2001 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, premiered by the Philadelphia Orchestra and Charles Dutoit with violinist Chantal Juilliet. The work opens with an appassionato that develops tautly between soaring, lamentations and harsh interjections from the orchestra. In the quiet second movement, Aiman Mussakhajayeva makes her violin sing beguilingly before the mood shifts and develops as if disturbed to a majestic conclusion that segues into the virtuosic, strongly rhythmic finale, bursting with compositional ideas. The movement ends a truly fine violin concerto that definitely deserves a place in the repertoire.The First Chamber Concerto for violin, piano, and strings measures through various moods with nervously urgent, playful, and brilliantly virtuosic as well as slower passages.The second chamber concerto for violin and strings begins with an elegiac elegy followed by an agitated part in which the violin repeatedly raises questions: Why?, one hears the instrument say. The mourning gives way to a certain warmth as well as to exasperation. The whole is a reaction of the composer to the death of a good friend. The quietly lyrical but, along with beautifully warm passages, essentially somewhat somber and plaintive Air concludes the program, which demonstrates the extraordinary stature of composer Lowell Liebermann. — Remy Frank, Pizzicato Magazine
Aiman Mussakhajayeva
PC: Yevgeniya Volkova & Elena Sorokina
PC: Yevgeniya Volkova & Elena Sorokina
“In this recording Ms. Mussakhajayeva proves herself to be the ideal interpreter of Lowell Liebermann’s uncompromisingly bold and impressively varied music. She plays fiercely at times, with restraint at others, always in command of her unflaggingly prodigious technique. Her fellow Kazakh artists are beyond reproach.” — All About The Arts
“…a work of unblushingly dazzling and viscous romance…Liebermann must count himself smiled upon by the gods in having found this violinist, this orchestra, this conductor and the technical team that produce such high calorific value performances and sound.” — Music Web International
“There is real magic in this music…All four works have the real potential of joining the permanent repertory of classic concerto fare, deservingly….It is a gem of a program to appreciate over a long time…” — Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review
“…a work of unblushingly dazzling and viscous romance…Liebermann must count himself smiled upon by the gods in having found this violinist, this orchestra, this conductor and the technical team that produce such high calorific value performances and sound.” — Music Web International
“There is real magic in this music…All four works have the real potential of joining the permanent repertory of classic concerto fare, deservingly….It is a gem of a program to appreciate over a long time…” — Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review
Lowell Liebermann
PC: Yevgeniya Volkova & Elena Sorokina
PC: Yevgeniya Volkova & Elena Sorokina
“The release of Lowell Liebermann's works for violin and orchestra brings with it a number of auspicious firsts: all four are world premiere recordings, and it's also the debut recording of the Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra (KSSO)…Performing on a 1732 Stradivarius, the award-winning Mussakhajayeva proves herself to be an ideal conduit for Liebermann's musical imaginings. The album's primary work comes first, the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 74, which The Philadelphia Inquirer opined could achieve “a popularity not enjoyed by any other violin concerto since the Barber.” Such high praise is supported by the work, which one imagines any of today's major violin soloists would lust after. While it was premiered in 2001 by the Philadelphia Orchestra with violinist Chantal Juilliet, Mussakhajayeva and the KSSO make it their own with a riveting performance….Liebermann's involvement on piano serves as a reminder of his prowess in that department, something also accomplished by the two releases of solo piano music he issued on the Steinway & Sons label in 2021 and 2022 to widespread acclaim… Engaged performances by the orchestra and Mussakhajayeva amplify the luxuriant richness of Liebermann's material… The four pieces here reaffirm what he's demonstrated in his writing before, that while his works position themselves comfortably within the continuum of classical composition, they're never overtly derivative or slot into a particular style—he's no serialist or minimalist, in other words, and his works are neither exclusively tonal nor atonal. Instead, he's carved out his own niche by creating a seamlessly integrated style that's beholden to no one but himself. Each work develops organically and on its own expressive terms, with one episode evolving naturally into the next. To state it most simply, by utilizing all of the time-honoured tricks of the trade Liebermann has created a style that fits comfortably within the tradition; it's also, however, wholly marked by his personal signature. A work might be at one moment lyrical and introspective and at another ominous and unsettling, but it's always recognizable as his.” — textura.org
Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra
“…a work of unblushingly dazzling and viscous romance…Liebermann must count himself smiled upon by the gods in having found this violinist, this orchestra, this conductor and the technical team that produce such high calorific value performances and sound.” — Music Web International
“Liebermann’s music is consistently emotionally and intellectually engaging - direct enough to reach a wide audience, but mature enough to find real depth and originality in his writing. Fine performances from the composer on piano, Kazakh violinist Aiman Mussakhajayeva and the Kazakh State Symphony under the direction of Tigran Shiganyan.” — American Record Guide
“Liebermann’s music is consistently emotionally and intellectually engaging - direct enough to reach a wide audience, but mature enough to find real depth and originality in his writing. Fine performances from the composer on piano, Kazakh violinist Aiman Mussakhajayeva and the Kazakh State Symphony under the direction of Tigran Shiganyan.” — American Record Guide
“Lovers of contemporary American music…will find a collection here that will warrant repeated listening. These are committed performances from what may seem an unlikely source to the casual listener, but there is fine, intelligent musicmaking to be heard in this release that is well worth tracking down. The final Air is a poignant conclusion to an excellent release.” — sakennedymusic.com
“I am always delighted when a new CD of music by Lowell Liebermann arrives…as I find his music invariably arresting and imaginative. The present CD is particularly of interest…The three shorter works that fill out the disc are no less enjoyable than Liebermann’s magnificent Violin Concerto…Liebermann’s mastery of the materials again affords the listener a listening experience not to be forgotten…this disc definitely belongs in your collection and here receives my highest possible recommendation.”
— David DeBoor Canfield, Fanfare Magazine
“I am always delighted when a new CD of music by Lowell Liebermann arrives…as I find his music invariably arresting and imaginative. The present CD is particularly of interest…The three shorter works that fill out the disc are no less enjoyable than Liebermann’s magnificent Violin Concerto…Liebermann’s mastery of the materials again affords the listener a listening experience not to be forgotten…this disc definitely belongs in your collection and here receives my highest possible recommendation.”
— David DeBoor Canfield, Fanfare Magazine
“Undoubtedly one of the most revered composers from this generation, the pianist Lowell Liebermann brings us 4 world premiere recordings…A body of work that covers 30 years of Liebermann’s songwriting, the technical aspect of these compositions os just as admirable as the flawless delivery.” — takeeffectreviews.com
Carnegie Hall Project
"Rarely bothering to visit Central Asia, 19th Century composers like Borodin and Rimsky‑Korsakov wrote much music, celebrating “Wild East” of Russia. Last night, Carnegie Hall audiences heard Kazakh music in the flesh, so to speak, in 20th Century works rarely played elsewhere." - Harry Rolnick
“
The Sounds of Central Asia
New York
Isaac Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall
10/09/2023 -
Tles Kazhgaliev:
The Steppe Legend (Symphonic Suite):
1.“Adagio” & 4.“Kyz Kuu”
Lowell Liebermann:
Violin Concerto
Chamber Concerto No.1
Sergei Prokofiev:
Symphony No.1 “Classical”, Op.25
Aiman Mussakhajayeva (Violin/Artistic Director), Lowell Liebermann (Piano)
Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra, Andreas Delfs (Conductor)
“People’s smiles, the kindly eyes of a hundred people, are hotter than the sun.”
“A wolf cannot get enough of sheep. A man cannot get enough of thinking.”
Kazakh proverbs
Rarely bothering to visit Central Asia, 19th Century composers like Borodin and Rimsky‑Korsakov wrote much music, celebrating “Wild East” of Russia. Last night, Carnegie Hall audiences heard Kazakh music in the flesh, so to speak, in 20th Century works rarely played elsewhere.
The Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra (KSSO) is a large band, with sizeable percussion and brass sections. The strings were quite luscious for good reason. After all, violin soloist Aiman Mussakhajayeva was founder of the Kazakh National University of Arts, from whence come most of the KSSO players. And as Artistic Director of the KSSO, Ms. Mussakhajayeva obviously keeps a strict eye and ear on her pupils.
(Ms. Mussakhajayeva also has the dubious title of People’s Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a titular holdover from their days as a vassalage of the Soviet Union.)
She is a splendid and vivacious soloist, making full use of her 1732 Stradivarius. Rather than playing the usual concertos, though, she teamed up with Lowell Liebermann for two of his major works.
One must wonder about the selections here. For their premiere New York performance, one would have imagined a combination of traditional and new. Familiarity and surprise could have been the hallmarks of any new orchestra.
Instead, the KSSO played two works by American composer Liebermann, and while both were intriguing, it seemed like an embarras des richesses for the composer. (Mr. Liebermann will also be featured tonight in his Frankenstein music at the Church of the Intercession.)
The Violin Concerto was a connected three movements of rhythm and several cadenzas. This is neo‑Romantic music at its best, a sometimes simulacrum of Samuel Barber’s piece. Having heard it the first time, I felt immediately at home with the impassioned opening and its really majestic finale. Ms. Mussakhajayeva has recorded the work, and the KSSO obviously felt comfortable with its varied moods.
Yet it was the following Chamber Concerto for violin, piano and abbreviated orchestra which was absolutely mesmerizing. Part of it was the exotic colors, the undulating quivers and quasi‑Eastern scale passages. Ms. Mussakhajayeva was quite brilliant here. But the awards had to go to the composer on piano. Mr. Liebermann has never appeared in Carnegie Hall as soloist which is a shame. Though his sensitivity, his balance, his tasteful yet rarely aggressive lines had the beauty of a Gothic edifice.
The Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra has a very special relationship with Sergei Prokofiev, essaying his First Symphony. First, the composer himself lived in Alma‑Ata for a while, composing the music for Ivan the Terrible and other films. Then, he wrote five excellent highly emotional transcriptions of Kazakh popular songs, recently discovered and recorded.
Third, the KSSO itself has recorded several Prokofiev symphonies, obviously with a special personal bond.
The “Classical” was taken at a sensibly brisk pace by Maestro Delfs, and the frequent woodwind solos were played with suitable virtuosity. Could one say that this was a truly “classical” rendition? Not quite. Prokofiev provided a seamless orchestral palette where one shouldn’t even notice these solos, where they all became part of the joyous totality. Rather, segment by segment, the Kazakh orchestra provided striking moments. Haydnesque whimsicality (the opening), an engaging walking theme in the second, a very danceable gavotte and a mad finale. The colors were lucid, the strings shimmered, the drums rumbled.
Yet this Symphony doesn’t triumph by velocity and solos. One should be enveloped by an elegance, a touch of Age of Enlightenment graciousness. Give the KSSO time. Two decades is but a mote in the age of any orchestra.
The two works enveloping the concert were by the late Kazakh composer Tles Kazhgaliev. By the opening and closing sections of his ballet The Steppe Legend, one heard a composer whose orchestration was truly a gift. Actually, the opening calls of nature, the lovely cello melodies, the undulating chords and string figurations, could have been written by any minor 1890’s Central European composer. (This piece was written in 1985). But no one doubted the all too short whizz‑bang finale, Mr. Kazhgaliev fusing folk tunes, dances and terrific exhibitionism, bringing the audience to its feet.
I must comment about an after‑concert action. While soloists and conductor took their bows, members of the orchestra walked around shaking hands with their colleagues. It could have been a Kazakh ritual or simply impulsive self-endearment for their own gifts. Such affections were tender gestures, and totally delightful.
Harry Rolnick
New York
Isaac Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall
10/09/2023 -
Tles Kazhgaliev:
The Steppe Legend (Symphonic Suite):
1.“Adagio” & 4.“Kyz Kuu”
Lowell Liebermann:
Violin Concerto
Chamber Concerto No.1
Sergei Prokofiev:
Symphony No.1 “Classical”, Op.25
Aiman Mussakhajayeva (Violin/Artistic Director), Lowell Liebermann (Piano)
Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra, Andreas Delfs (Conductor)
“People’s smiles, the kindly eyes of a hundred people, are hotter than the sun.”
“A wolf cannot get enough of sheep. A man cannot get enough of thinking.”
Kazakh proverbs
Rarely bothering to visit Central Asia, 19th Century composers like Borodin and Rimsky‑Korsakov wrote much music, celebrating “Wild East” of Russia. Last night, Carnegie Hall audiences heard Kazakh music in the flesh, so to speak, in 20th Century works rarely played elsewhere.
The Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra (KSSO) is a large band, with sizeable percussion and brass sections. The strings were quite luscious for good reason. After all, violin soloist Aiman Mussakhajayeva was founder of the Kazakh National University of Arts, from whence come most of the KSSO players. And as Artistic Director of the KSSO, Ms. Mussakhajayeva obviously keeps a strict eye and ear on her pupils.
(Ms. Mussakhajayeva also has the dubious title of People’s Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a titular holdover from their days as a vassalage of the Soviet Union.)
She is a splendid and vivacious soloist, making full use of her 1732 Stradivarius. Rather than playing the usual concertos, though, she teamed up with Lowell Liebermann for two of his major works.
One must wonder about the selections here. For their premiere New York performance, one would have imagined a combination of traditional and new. Familiarity and surprise could have been the hallmarks of any new orchestra.
Instead, the KSSO played two works by American composer Liebermann, and while both were intriguing, it seemed like an embarras des richesses for the composer. (Mr. Liebermann will also be featured tonight in his Frankenstein music at the Church of the Intercession.)
The Violin Concerto was a connected three movements of rhythm and several cadenzas. This is neo‑Romantic music at its best, a sometimes simulacrum of Samuel Barber’s piece. Having heard it the first time, I felt immediately at home with the impassioned opening and its really majestic finale. Ms. Mussakhajayeva has recorded the work, and the KSSO obviously felt comfortable with its varied moods.
Yet it was the following Chamber Concerto for violin, piano and abbreviated orchestra which was absolutely mesmerizing. Part of it was the exotic colors, the undulating quivers and quasi‑Eastern scale passages. Ms. Mussakhajayeva was quite brilliant here. But the awards had to go to the composer on piano. Mr. Liebermann has never appeared in Carnegie Hall as soloist which is a shame. Though his sensitivity, his balance, his tasteful yet rarely aggressive lines had the beauty of a Gothic edifice.
The Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra has a very special relationship with Sergei Prokofiev, essaying his First Symphony. First, the composer himself lived in Alma‑Ata for a while, composing the music for Ivan the Terrible and other films. Then, he wrote five excellent highly emotional transcriptions of Kazakh popular songs, recently discovered and recorded.
Third, the KSSO itself has recorded several Prokofiev symphonies, obviously with a special personal bond.
The “Classical” was taken at a sensibly brisk pace by Maestro Delfs, and the frequent woodwind solos were played with suitable virtuosity. Could one say that this was a truly “classical” rendition? Not quite. Prokofiev provided a seamless orchestral palette where one shouldn’t even notice these solos, where they all became part of the joyous totality. Rather, segment by segment, the Kazakh orchestra provided striking moments. Haydnesque whimsicality (the opening), an engaging walking theme in the second, a very danceable gavotte and a mad finale. The colors were lucid, the strings shimmered, the drums rumbled.
Yet this Symphony doesn’t triumph by velocity and solos. One should be enveloped by an elegance, a touch of Age of Enlightenment graciousness. Give the KSSO time. Two decades is but a mote in the age of any orchestra.
The two works enveloping the concert were by the late Kazakh composer Tles Kazhgaliev. By the opening and closing sections of his ballet The Steppe Legend, one heard a composer whose orchestration was truly a gift. Actually, the opening calls of nature, the lovely cello melodies, the undulating chords and string figurations, could have been written by any minor 1890’s Central European composer. (This piece was written in 1985). But no one doubted the all too short whizz‑bang finale, Mr. Kazhgaliev fusing folk tunes, dances and terrific exhibitionism, bringing the audience to its feet.
I must comment about an after‑concert action. While soloists and conductor took their bows, members of the orchestra walked around shaking hands with their colleagues. It could have been a Kazakh ritual or simply impulsive self-endearment for their own gifts. Such affections were tender gestures, and totally delightful.
Harry Rolnick