Chimerical, otherworldly, unpredictable -- these are only a few words to describe the subtle music of Steven Stucky on In Shadow, In Light, his second album for Albany. Nell'ombra, nella luce, performed crisply by the
Cassatt String Quartet, exploits triadic harmonies and less stable chords in fascinating juxtapositions, and contrasts of bright and dark sonorities are the work's raison d'être. Ad Parnassum, a piece in emulation of Paul Klee's idea of "polyphonic painting," introduces the winds, strings, piano, and percussion of Cornell University's
Ensemble X. Stucky uses his sonic palette in a painterly manner, layering sudden gestures and isolated pitches over soft, sustained passages to produce glowing colors against a dark background of silences. In Boston Fancies, fast ritornelli alternate with slow passages in a free fantasia on a 12-note theme. The Partita-Pastorale, after J.S. Bach, is a montage of quotations fashioned to resemble a daydream of Bach's music. Sappho Fragments, a setting of the poet's texts in Greek and English, plays off distinctions between formal address and direct, passionate expression. Accordingly, soprano Judith Kellock is both ethereal and earthy in her delivery, and emotions are communicated clearly in these concentrated songs. The performances are skillfully conducted by the composer, and Albany's recorded sound is focused and well-balanced.