Among
Aaron Copland's least-known compositions are his chamber pieces, seldom performed and recorded in spite of the composer's long tenure as the "Dean of American Music." This neglect has been attributed to the supposed difficulty of
Copland's modernist style -- often featured in his chamber music -- which some have found less appealing than the robust Americana mode
Copland cultivated from the late '30s onward. Yet even the works that anticipate his populist interests -- such as Ukulele Serenade (1926) and the Sextet for string quartet, clarinet, and piano (1928), and a masterpiece that is fully part of
Copland's "homespun musical idiom," the Violin Sonata (1943) -- have languished in relative obscurity. Thankfully, the musicians at
Copland House and the
Borromeo String Quartet have devoted themselves to the promotion of
Copland's chamber works, and have assembled a comprehensive and enjoyable program, which Arabesque has recorded with clarity and resonance. Arranged chronologically, from the Movement for string quartet (1923) to the Threnodies (2) for flute and string trio (1971), the selections reveal both
Copland's willingness to experiment and his undogmatic approach to styles, methods, and material. After hearing this double-disc, listeners will find much to like in this overlooked oeuvre -- even among the haunting serial works -- and gain a greater appreciation of
Copland's versatility and depth.