Smile = Music by CHAPLIN, MESSIAEN, PAART, PIAZZOLLA, SCHUBERT, and others – Anne Akiko Meyers, violin/Akira Eguchi, violin – Koch International Classics KIC CD 7762, 63 mins. ****(*):
Smile = Amy Dickson, saxophone/Catherine Milledge, piano – Sony/BMG 88697203072 ****:
Anne Akiko Meyers makes her debut on Koch International Classics with a stunning recital that suggests a surprising new legitimacy to the crossover concept. The disc begins with a sweet bit of nostalgia by Charlie Chaplin (“Smile” – the theme for his classic film, Modern Times) and concludes with a bittersweet take on “Over the Rainbow.” The in between ranges from the inevitable Astor Piazzolla and the increasingly inevitable Arvo Pärt and even Messiaen to settings of two Japanese songs from the early 20th century.
The central in between is a thoughtful performance of Schubert’s 25-minute Fantasy in C major Op. 159, an emotional and technical heavyweight in which pianist Akira Eguchi contributes playing of exceptional poetry. The recital’s biggest surprise is Messiaen’s eight-minute “Fantaisie,” composed in 1933 for the composer’s first wife, violinist and composer Claire Delbos. It was only discovered in 2007, and here receives only its third recording. A simple piece of lyrical beauty, at times it seems like a subtle violinistic equivalent of Messiaen’s bells and bird calls style.
The recital is sequenced so effectively that the each new style creates a riveting new musical window and the 63-minute recital passes very quickly. Presumably, Koch and Meyers have more planned in their joint arsenal.
The intense, close-up recording produced by Susan Napodano DelGiorno in Theater A of the Performing Arts Center at SUNY Purchase, catches every nuance of Meyers’ tone which ranges from eerily glassy sound to sumptuous richness, and captures every inflection of her intensely personal phrasing. You can occasionally even hear the resin on the bow, every pizzicato is a tangible delight, and the piano sound dances with color and life.
Nowhere are these qualities more evident than in the Japanese folksongs, the first of which is adapted for violin and prepared piano from a work originally composed for bamboo flute and the plucked koto, the second (for solo violin) adapted from a work for koto solo. Karissa Krenz’s program note, which include input and direct quotes from Meyers, successfully toes the line between marketing copy and genuine insight.
– Laurence Vittes
Another fine crossover-sort of recital with exactly the same album title. (In fact, we also received a THIRD “Smile” CD this very week – that one of two-guitar jazz!) Amy Dickson is a young Australian sax virtuoso already considered one of the world’s best on her instrument. She plays both jazz and classical, but prefers the latter repertory. She loves Chaplin’s beautiful tune just as does Ms. Myers, and especially the arrangement of the tune by Claus Ogerman, which she transcribed for sax and piano for this album. This CD again includes melodies by both Arvo Paart and Astor Piazzolla – another similarity to the other album. In addition to some of the expected hits such as Rachmaninov’s Vocalise and Elgar’s Salut d’amour, there are several unusual unexpected gems such as Debussy’s lovely waltz La plus que lente and another waltz from early saxophone pioneer Rudy Wiedoeft.
Outside of France the saxophone ain’t got no respect in the classical world, but a few performers such as Dickson are doing their part to keep Adolph Sax’s family of instruments in the public ear. Her tone is rich, well-recorded and in good balance with the piano. A most enjoyable lighter album.
TrackList: CHAPLIN: Smile, DRDLA: Souvenir, RACHMANINOV: Vocalise, WIEDOEFT: Valse Vanite, FAURE: Romance sans paroles, PAART: Spiegel im Spiegel, PIAZZOLLA: Ave Maria, GINASTERA: Danze de la moza donosa, DEBUSSY: La plus que lente, ELGAR: Salut d’amour, DAWES: Melody, BOZZA: Aria, FINZI: Elegy
– John Sunier
