Ching-yi Lin Archive

American Sonatas for Violin and Piano = IVES: Sonata No. 2; BOLCOM: Sonata No. 2; CORIGLIANO: Sonata – Ching-Yi Lin, violin /Zachary Lopes, piano – MSR Classics

by Audiophile Audition | Aug 7, 2017 | Classical CD Reviews

American Sonatas for Violin and Piano = IVES: Sonata No. 2; BOLCOM: Sonata No. 2; CORIGLIANO: Sonata – Ching-Yi Lin, violin /Zachary Lopes, piano – MSR Classics MS 1553, 54:07, ****: Three diverse American violin sonatas that will please conservative modernists. In his 1958 “Young People’s Concerts” entitled, “What is American Music?” Leonard Bernstein answered the question by naming the diversity of the American musical personality as the primary element that defines our music. Each of the three composers represented in this cross section of 20th century American violin and piano sonatas represent that diversity—albeit conservative—that makes American music distinct. Charles Ives (1874-1954) became an independent Yankee individualist who composed music that was a combination of radical musical techniques (use of cross rhythms and polytonality and many layered textures) and the well-known music and sounds that he heard growing up in New England. His music could vacillate between the sublime and ridiculous. It could lead to spiritual redemption or a good laugh. Often it sounds familiar and new at the same time. Ives’ music is clearly American. After all, what’s more American than a cantankerous individualist who experiments with music, but becomes a millionaire selling insurance? Ives never had to […]