MUSIC FOR VOICES

 

ALLEN BRINGS

 

OVERVIEW

 

In 2008, PARMA Recordings acquired Capstone Records, the highly respected New York-based classical label founded by composer Richard Brooks in 1986, with the intent of shepherding the company and its music into the digital era. This album was originally released on Capstone and is being re-released by PARMA Recording's Navona Records.

 

On MUSIC FOR VOICES, composer and pianist Allen Brings presents a collection of pairings for vocals and instruments, often marrying the forces of chorus and orchestra. Brings’ compositions feature a wide range of performer credits, including the Ars Brunensis Chorus and the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, both from the Czech Republic; the New York Virtuoso Singers; the Kent Singers from Connecticut; conductors Toshiyuki Shimada, Marguerite Mullée, and Harold Rosenbaum; soprano Mara Bonde; and pianist  Genevieve Chinn. Additionally, Brings plays piano on a handful of these works, including Three Songs of Blake & Donne for soprano & piano; The Lament of Rachel for chamber choir & piano, four-hands; and Encore: Mountain Song for soprano & piano.

 

Both a composer and a pianist, Brings has twice served as chairman of the eastern region of the American Society of University Composers and currently serves as vice president of Connecticut Composers. He has received an ASCAP Award every year since 1975.

 

Additionally, Brings has taught at a number of schools, and holds professor emeritus status at his alma mater, the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College of the City University of New York, where he was coordinator of the theory and ear training program. He is now a director of the Weston Music Center and School of the Performing Arts in Connecticut, where he teaches piano and theory.

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ALSO ON NAVONA RECORDS

 

THE CHAMBER WORKS OF

ALLEN BRINGS (NV6090)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Release Date: June 9, 2017

Catalog #: NV6103

 

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TRACK INFO

 

THREE HOLY SONNETS (1988)

for chorus & orchestra (ASCAP)

Ars Brunensis & The Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra

Toshiyuki Shimada conductor

1 At the Round Earths Imagin’d Corners

2 Death Be Not Proud

3 Batter My Heart, Three Person’d God

 

A HERRICK SUITE (1977)

for chorus & piano (ASCAP)

The Kent Singers | Marguerite Mullée conductor

Allen Brings pianist

4 I Sing of Brooks

5 Corinna’s Going a Maying

6 To Primroses Filled with Morning Dew

7 To Live Merrily, and to Trust to Good Verses

8 To Music, to Becalm his Fever

 

THREE SONGS OF BLAKE & DONNE

for soprano & piano (ASCAP)

Mara Bonde soprano  Allen Brings pianist

9 A Cradle Song

10 Never Seek To Tell Thy Love

11 Song

 

12 COR JESU TRINITATIS (1954)

for a cappella chorus (ASCAP)

The Kent Singers | Marguerite Mullée conductor

 

13 THE LAMENT OF RACHEL (1997)

for chamber choir & piano, four-hands (ASCAP)

The New York Virtuoso Singers

Margery Daley, Melisssa Kelley, Cynthia Wallace sopranos

Karen Krueger, Mary Marathe, Nancy Wertsch (soloist) altos

Neil Farrell, Mukund Marathe, Michael Steinberger tenors

Frank Barr, Steven Moore, Jon Szabo basses

Genevieve Chinn, Allen Brings pianists

Harold Rosenbaum conductor

 

14 FROM PSALTERIUM DAVIDICUM (1994)

for chorus & orchestra (ASCAP)

Ars Brunensis & The Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra

Toshiyuki Shimada conductor

 

15 ENCORE: MOUNTAIN SONG (1992)

for soprano & piano (ASCAP)

Mara Bonde soprano  Allen Brings pianist