MUSIC OF MATHEW
ROSENBLUM
PRISM's biggest project during the fall of '96 commenced with the recording of
two works by Mathew Rosenblum, destined for a Mode Records CD. We were proud to
have been among the top recipients of the 1996 round of recording grants from
the Aaron Copland Fund . The two works recorded were Nü Kuan
Tzu and Ancient Eyes . The disc will include one more piece,
Picture Show , slated for recording by the California E.A.R unit next
fall.
Mathew Rosenblum is an imaginative composer who writes vivid, intelligent and
elegantly formed music which synthesizes into a lucid whole the disorienting
and contradictory sonic images present in our modern lives. In our modern
environment, where it is possible, during the course of a short urban stroll,
to hear exotically tuned wind-chimes, Sonic Youth blasting out of a
parked car, digitally processed texts on a passing boom-box, Debussy orchestral
music while waiting on telephone hold and six different languages in passing
conversations, the music of our day must work very hard to capture the
attention of our over-stimulated senses. Mathew's music succeeds in getting our
attention, and more important (and rare), in holding it.
My recent music is a synthesis of diverse musical elements derived from
classical, jazz, rock, and world music traditions. Most notably, my current
music uses two tuning systems, the normal twelve note equal tempered system,
and a nineteen and twenty one note-to-the-octave "just" system I designed to be
used in conjunction with the twelve note equal tempered system. When used in
combination, the two tuning systems provide a wide variety of intervalic and
harmonic possibilities in both just and equal tempered tunings, thus allowing
for strong harmonic and stylistic contrasts. My music moves freely through
passages and movements which use either altered or tempered tunings, or
combinations of the two. My goal is to continue to explore ways in which
seemingly separate musical voices and traditions may be woven together into a
newly expressive whole. -MR
In the stream of American music, Mathew's compositions float along with music
of composers Harry Partch, Henry Cowell, John Cage, Ben Johnston, Lou Harrison,
Ezra Sims, Dean Drummond and LaMonte Young. This tradition is characterized
by a decidedly non-academic and non-European flavor, and as attested by its
growing popularity, figures prominently in today's American music. In
particular, Rosenblum's music poaches from the rock and jazz traditions,
unselfconsciously incorporating these styles into larger scale works.
Mathew Rosenblum was born in New York City in 1954. He earned advanced degrees
in music composition at the New England Conservatory of Music and Princeton
University. His works have been performed throughout the United States and
Europe including the 1990 ISCM World Music Days in Oslo Norway, De Ijsbreker in
Amsterdam, and at the Kitchen, Roulette and Miller Theater in New York City.
His recent honors include a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Composition
Fellowship Grant (1994), a Fromm Foundation Commission (1993), a National
Endowment for the Arts Composers Fellowship Grant (1992), a New York Foundation
for the Arts Artists Fellowship Grant (1989), an American Composers Alliance
50th Anniversary Recording Award (1987), and commissions from Newband (1990),
the Stony Brook Contemporary Chamber Players (1990), and pianist Loretta
Goldberg (1987). He has also received awards and fellowships from the
Rockefeller Foundation (1980), the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (1981),
BMI (1978), the Institute of Contemporary American Music (1981), the MacDowell
Colony (1987,1989), the Djerassi Foundation (1987), and Yaddo (1987). His
music has been recorded by Speculum Musicae, Newband, Loretta Goldberg, and
cellists Theodore Mook and Michael Finckel, and is published by C.F. Peters
Corporation and the American Composers Alliance. He currently teaches
composition and theory at the University of Pittsburgh.
Nü Kuan Tzu
This 35 minute work was commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts in
1992 . It is scored for soprano, mezzo-soprano, and eleven instruments. (
Flute, clarinet, horn, trombone, violin, viola, cello, double bass, keyboard,
sampler and percussion). It is set in the 19 tone per octave scale of the
composer's invention, with the 12 tone equal temperment piano borrowing the
additional pitches from the sampler.
The textual make-up of the piece is perhaps its most distinguishing
characteristic. The work uses source texts from Sung Dynasty "music poems" in
combination with poems by Appolinaire and Rimbaud. Digitally sampled texts are
interwoven with the live singers. Each movement of the 11 movement work is very
different stylistically and ranges from impressionism to microtonal to pop.
- "Sung Dynasty" music poems (165K, aif)
- interwoven sampled texts with live singers: The Stars are Few (255K,aif)
- 12/11 Pop(158K, aif)
- Voyelles(230K, aif)
- Performers:
Kristin Norderval, soprano
Mary Nessinger, mezzo-soprano
Jayn Rosenfeld, flute & piccolo
Tim Smith, clarinet & bass clarinet
Dan Grabois, horn
Ben Herrington, trombone
Dale Turk, bass trombone
Curt Macomber, violin
Lois Martin, viola
Ted Mook, cello
Joe Bongiorno, bass
Dominic Donato, percussion
Michael Lipsey, percussion
Eric Moe, keyboards
Brad Lubman, conductor
Ancient Eyes
Commissioned by the Stony Brook Contemporary Players and written in 1990.
Scored for flute, clarinet, cello percussion and keyboard /w sampler. The
piece continues to explore the sound world of the 19 note microtonal scale
developed in Rosenblum's Circadian Rhythms.
- Performers
- Jayn Rosenfeld, flute
- Tim Smith, clarinet
- Ted Mook, cello
- Dominic Donato, percussion
- Eric Moe, keyboards
- Brad Lubman, conductor
Circadian Rhythms.
Commissioned in 1989 by cellist Ted Mook, scored for cello, percussion
and keyboard w/sampler. Utilizes over 3 octaves of almglocken (tuned cowbells)
and a 19 note per octave microtonal scale, released on Mode 33, performed by
Newband.
- Performers:
- Ted Mook, cello
- Jim Pugliese, percussion
- Elizabeth Rodgers, piano & keyboard sampler
