Ned Rorem's contemporary chamber pieces are fairly abstract, angular, and surprisingly austere, unusual for works of such a legendary neo-Romantic. Despite his clear and ever-present tonality, and poignant melodic phrases that still bear his lyrical stamp, many of
Rorem's late pieces have a sparseness of sound and a spiky, pointillistic manner, and are occasionally reminiscent of Webern or late
Stravinsky in their thin textures and aphoristic brevity. As played by the Contrasts Quartet, the music can be charming and graceful, and sometimes coy and clever, as in the Nine Episodes for Four Players (2001). But the clarinet lends a cool tone to the ensemble, and the soft, subdued colors of these pieces make them seem almost autumnal and emotionally detached. The music is somewhat warmer in the set of 7 Dances for cello and piano (1983) and crisper and considerably brighter in Spring Music for violin, cello, and piano (1990), but
Rorem's moods in both works are tempered with melancholy and at times sound quite somber, as if conveying feelings of loss. This is a muted album in many ways, but its reproduction is not, since Phoenix has provided stunningly clear sound with natural, almost palpable presence.