RATIONAL PASSIONS
Greg Bowers
Classical
NV5960
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Karolina Rojahn, piano; Keun Young Sun, piano
The Boston String Quartet | Christopher Vuk, violin;
Angel Valchinov, violin; Chen Lin, viola, Christina Stripling, cello


RATIONAL PASSIONS, Greg Bowers' debut release on Navona Records, takes its listeners on a trip through the psychological world of music. Each piece explores the relationship between the notes played and the emotions experienced, suggesting that emotional meaning can be rationalized. Gestalt Figures uses grouping laws to show how the listener will approximate the piece as a whole by the connections between its parts, suggesting the true function of the composer and listener. String Quartet No. 2: By-Products of Mass Media depicts three movements in pop culture: the intense experience of rave music, the erratic nature of channel surfing, and the accessible convenience of online surfing. In Perception Etudes, Bowers examines the musical experience as a whole and how each element - the audience, the performer, the musical tension and dynamics - is internalized, understood, and communicated. Eurydice Returns is a short psychological examination of the confused, rejected lover in the Orpheus myth. By means of string quartet, piano, and electronics, RATIONAL PASSIONS puts forth a cerebral approach to the listening experience, rationalizing the theoretical and emotional facets of music.



Visit the RATIONAL PASSIONS web application to access the digital booklet, study scores, extended liner notes, and more.








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