Jennifer Koh & Reiko Uchida - String poetic (2008)

One of music’s brightest young stars, “prodigiously talented” (The New York Times) violinist Jennifer Koh presents a hand-picked program of inventive and attractive American works for violin and piano, spanning the 20th and 21st centuries.

The album takes its name from Jennifer Higdon’s String Poetic (2006), written expressly for Ms. Koh – a world-premiere recording. Its diverse moods, harmonic approaches, and styles take full advantage of Ms. Koh’s wide musical palette.

The CD also features Carl Ruggles’s atmospheric and enigmatic Moods (1918); Lou Harrison’s dance-infused Grand Duo (1988), and John Adams’s propulsive Road Movies (1995).

Ms. Koh’s “penetrating intelligence,” “white-hot imagination,” and “focused, sweet-toned playing” (Washington Post) are brilliantly displayed on this album of exhilarating American discoveries.

Tracklist:
Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962) - String Poetic (2006)* (20:34)
1 I. Jagged Climb (2:06)
2 II. Nocturne (4:44)
3 III. Blue Hills of Mist (7:41)
4 IV. Maze Mechanical (3:21)
5 V. Climb Jagged (2:34)

Carl Ruggles (1876-1971)
6 Mood (1918) (5:54)

Lou Harrison (1917-2003) - Grand Duo (1988) (30:57)
7 I. Prelude (7:38)
8 II. Stampede (5:44)
9 III. A Round (Annabel & April’s) (3:25)
10 IV. Air (10:39)
11 V. Polka (3:22)

John Adams (b. 1946) - Road Movies (1995) (15:57)
12 I. Relaxed Groove (4:37)
13 II. Meditative (6:17)
14 III. 40% Swing (4:57)