Earl Brown: Tracer (Chamber Works 1952-1999)

Brown belonged to a group of composers that today is referred to as the "The New York School" (the group active in New York in the 1950s that included Brown, John Cage, Morton Feldman, and Christian Wolff.) The works recorded on this disc represent several of Brown's compositional styles. At least one piece was selected from every decade of his career, from the 1950s to the 1990s. The ensemble size varies from one player to fourteen. Performers include Christian Wolff and vocalist Joan La Barbara, both of whom knew and worked with Brown for many years.

This is the first DVD of Earle Brown's music. All performances are captured with full video and features 36-minute video interview with Susan Sollins (Brown's wife and an expert on his music), Cornelius Dufallo (founder of the Ne(x)tworks ensemble and Brown's godson), and Micah Silver (former director of The Earle Brown Foundation) on Earle Brown's life and work. The interview, filmed in HD (high-definition) is presented in 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. Hi-resolution 24-bit 5.1 surround recording in DTS and Dolby Digital.

Tracklist

Tracer

Tracer for ensemble and 4-channel tape (1985) (13:24)
for flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, violin, cello, bass

Folio (1952-54)

October (1952) (0:51)
for pianos
November (1952) (2:08)
for voice, 2 violins, viola, cello, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano
December (1952) (3:36)
for voice, saxophone, trumpet
March MM = 87 (0:48)
March MM = 135 (0:27)
for piano, vibraphone
March (1953) (1:53)
for violin, cello, piano
"Trio for Five Dancers" (June 1953) (1:02)
for violin, cello, piano

Special Events (1999) (18:34)
for cello, piano

Octet 1 (1953) (3:29)
for 8-channel tape

Music for Violin, Cello & Piano (1952) (3:04)
for 8-channel tape

Four Systems (1954) (4:00)
for voice, 2 violins, viola, cello, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano, percussion

String Quartet (1965) (11:38)

New Piece (1971) (6:24)
for voice, 2 violins, viola, cello, bass, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, 2 pianos, percussion

For Neil (1975) (1:59)
for violin

Ne(x)tworks
Christian Wolff, conductor

Mode 179