The harpsichord has been a favored instrument among modern composers, not least because of its association with Baroque music and neo-classicism, but also because of its crisp sonorities and array of subtle tone colors. On this 2013 album, Jory Vinikour explores the small but growing repertoire of American harpsichord music, which had a tentative beginning in the 1950s with the increasing availability of the instrument, and became more familiar to listeners from its use in popular and classical music. Its appeal was wide, and composers of both tonal and atonal music wrote for it, so examples of their work show a great variety of styles and techniques. Vinikour’s program includes the old guard of Henry Cowell, Mel Powell, Ned Rorem, Samuel Adler, Robert Muczynski, and Robert Moevs, as well as the younger generation of Thomas Benjamin, Stephen Blumberg, Patricia Morehead, and Harold Meltzer. This collection of toccatas shows the harpsichord as a virtuoso’s instrument, and Vinikour plays with astonishing speed and an assured touch, so even if the pieces are unfamiliar, listeners can derive pleasure from his brilliant performances. Note: this package includes a standard CD and a Blu-ray Audio disc.
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