The octogenarian
Ellen Taaffe Zwilich served as composer-in-residence with the Santa Rosa Symphony Orchestra just before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, an association that resulted in the present recording, although the new Cello Concerto heard here was premiered earlier by the
South Florida Symphony Orchestra and
Zuill Bailey, the present cellist. It's a lyrical work in three linked movements, written in memory of
Leonard Rose and
Mstislav Rostropovich, and giving
Bailey plenty to do in that golden-age vein while holding to
Zwilich's trademark tightly organized construction. All of the pieces on the album except for the weighty Prologue and Variations for string orchestra at the end are concertante works, and at least one of these, Peanuts® Gallery for piano and orchestra, deserves to be much better known than it is. Its six movements depict characters from the Peanuts® comic strip (Charles Schulz and
Zwilich became friends after Schulz mentioned
Zwilich in a Peppermint Patty strip), and though it is proposed as a work for children, it can be fully appreciated by listeners of any age. It makes a perfect introduction to
Zwilich's rigorous yet accessible style, and pianist Elizabeth Dorman captures its liveliness. There is also a Romance for violin and orchestra featuring violinist
Joseph Edelberg. The Santa Rosa Symphony, in its recording debut, punches way above its regional weight, and the performances bespeak lots of good interaction with the composer and careful work from conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong. A fine choice for those wanting to hear
Zwilich's works from various periods. ~ James Manheim