<<<  <<  -- 3 --  Howard Smith    PERCEPTIVE MUSICIANSHIP

Gullickson concludes her 'time-line' with Eric Ewazen's Down a River of Time (1999), charting its way via three states of mind; Past hopes and dreams -- and sorrows -- and memories of tomorrow. This is a work of uncommon merit; most notably in the central movement with richly contemplative deeps away from more swiftly flowing currents. Its 'back to the future' finale [listen -- track 19, 6:12-8:03] is highly measured yet ever bustling. Here the soloist is allowed more scope to display the fullest tonal compass and Gullickson's performances seem near to peerless.

On the strength of this one work I'm eager to hear more of Mr Ewazen's output. His teachers at the Eastman School of Music and Juilliard included Samuel Adler, Milton Babbitt and Gunther Schuller. Subsequently the work history has been prolific; including sometime lecturer for the New York Philharmonic's Musical Encounters Series, Vice-President of the League of Composers--International Society of Contemporary Music, and Composer-In-Residence with the Orchestra of St Luke's in New York City.

Since 1980 Ewazen has been a faculty member at Juilliard.

Returning to Andrea Gullickson and her Czech colleagues, their disc is a winner -- highly recommended without a moment's hesitation.

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