Leon Kirchner REVELATIONS/Verdant World Records 2013- Leon
Kirchner passed away in 2009. He spent a lifetime composing works in his own
style, modernist, chromatic-rubato-expressive yet abstracted in rhythmic time.
Many like myself probably still have a copy of his Third String Quartet on an
old Columbia LP, if you go back that far in your listening-accumulating. The
work won him the Pulitzer Prize and it is very worth hearing. But perhaps like
with me his other work is not as well-known to you. For that we have the remedy
of an anthology of some choice chamber and vocal works on the
CD Revelations (Verdant World 002).
It has a nicely chosen cross-section of solo piano works,
songs, and choral works spanning the years 1943-2006. There is quite
understandably development and stylistic enrichment to be heard in Kirchner's
music over time. Nonetheless the charm and expressively miniature qualities of
the 1949 "Little Suite" for piano has as much to offer your ears as
the later 2006 "The Forbidden," again for piano. Time and tide had
altered his musical vision somewhat, but there was something strong there from
the beginning. The choral works haunt, the songs are difficult to sing,
challenging, with post-Schoenbergian leaps and great demands placed on the
artistry of the soprano.
In the end we have a judicious survey of some choice small
works that piques the interest, heightens appreciation of Kirchner the man and
the composer, and satisfies the modern-seeking musical consciousness. Performances
are very good, as is sound quality. Recommended!
– Grego Applegate Edwards/Gapplegate Classical Modern Music
Review
