Sorrow can produce art of great hope and profound beauty. On this CD four contemporary North American composers have given musical shape to the voices of four women poets and one unknown prisoner, all struggling with love, loss, grief, and patience while searching to find meaning in the midst of the trials of the soul. Featuring mezzo-soprano Sarah Fryer and flutist Brenda Fedoruk these chamber works are variously combined with cello, piano and harp.
Michael Cohen's I Remember is an emotional song cycle based on Anne Frank: The Diary of A Young Girl. Mr. Cohen’s work From The Wall is based on text found scratched into a cellar wall in a bombed building in Cologne after World War II. Jake Heggie's The Deepest Desire is a song cycle exploring spiritual awakening, with texts by Sister Helen Prejean. Prejean's prize-winning book Dead Man Walking brought international attention to her quest for social justice issues. Andre Previn's lyrical Two Remembrances were inspired by the Expressionist poet Else Lasker-Schüler (1869-1945) and the poetry of Middle Ages poet Frau Ava of Melk (1160-1127)). Owen Underhill's Remember uses the bittersweet sonnet by English Victorian poet Christina Rossetti (1830-94) as its inspiration.
From The Wall and Remember are both world premier recordings.
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Two Remembrances
1. A Love Song - Andre Previn
2. Lyric - Andre Previn
3. I Remember - Michael Cohen
The Deepest Desire
4.Prelude: The Call—More is Required—Love - Jake Heggie
5. I Catch On Fire - Jake Heggie
6. The Deepest Desire - Jake Heggie
7. Primary Colors - Jake Heggie
