Jennifer Higdon: City Scape; Concerto for
Orchestra
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; Robert Spano, conductor.
Telarc CD-80620
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 I first heard Jennifer Higdon's music on Telarc's Rainbow Body [SACD-60596], where her blue cathedral
stood out amidst some pretty heavy competition. Her City Scape and Concerto for
Orchestra suggest that she's in no danger of running out of creativity -- or craft.
Quite simply, these are wonderful contemporary classical
works that people will want to listen to. Ms. Higdon is an impressive melodist and both
works have tunes. That doesn't mean either piece is simple or saccharine, however
-- Ms. Higdon also has a flair for the dramatic that puts a lot of power into her work.
But her particular talent is for color -- she takes her
listeners on voyages of discovery -- such as in the second movement of City Scape,
"River Sings a Song to Trees." In that 17-minute movement, she flows from serene
evocations of the wonders of nature to muscle-flexing demonstrations of its power. Think
of Roy Harris with Ellington's sly wit and you won't be far off the mark.
The piece is called City Scape, after all, so
it’s not at all about meandering through the meadows. The first and third movements
hustle and bustle with edgy excitement and more than a touch of heavy traffic.
It takes guts to write a Concerto for Orchestra,
given the heights of craft involved in Bartok's signature piece of the same title, but Ms.
Higdon's is just as muscular and packed with climaxes and shimmering orchestral textures.
It's a seductive piece of writing.
Of course, it would all come to naught, if not for the
superb playing of the Atlanta Symphony under Spano. He brings the ensemble a cohesiveness
that places it in the first rank of American orchestras. The band's enthusiasm and
excitement are palpable -- and he keeps all of that energy just barely under control.
Indeed, it's precisely that sense of precipice dancing that
is missing from most of the big-name symphonies recording today. No wonder people
don’t buy classical records anymore -- they simply aren't exciting.
But this one sure is.
As you'd expect from Telarc, the sound is extremely
natural, with dynamic swings that will take your breath away. You want to show off your
fancy-schmancy hi-fi system? Just cue "River Sings a Song to Trees" and sit back
-- but don't be fooled by how mellow it starts out or you'll be doing the dash for the
preamp to keep your woofers from being flung from your speakers just a few minutes in.
This is a recording that demonstrates the range just as vividly as the dynamic.
The brass and drums are startlingly present and the string
tone is as sweet as I've ever heard from Telarc.
What's that you say? You're only buying multichannel discs
now? You're in luck, then -- Telarc has also released it as a multichannel SACD, which
ought to be a corker.
This is a crackerjack recording. You'll love it --
so don't pass it by.
...Wes Phillips
wes@onhifi.com
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