ALEKSANDËR PEÇI (b.1951): Albanian Lament for Speaker, Vocalist, Soprano and Electronics (Bujar Lako [speaker], Irini Qiriako [vocalist], Suzana Frasheri [soprano]), Remodeling for Piano (Rudina Ciko, Merita Rexha [piano]), Polymotion for 2 Cellos and Electronics (Pjetër Guralumi [cellos]), Spectrum for Flute, Clarinet, Cello and Piano (Ensemble Spectrum), Sonic Roots for Solo Clarinet (Fatos Qerimi), Policentrum for Strings (AMRA Ensemble; Zhani Ciko).

Description: The distinctive voice of post-Soviet era Albanian music draws on the folk traditions of the isolated rural people, with an underlying tonal-romantic vein that was able to persist in the times of Soviet realism, and an overlay of western avant-gardism, enthusiastically embraced once the opportunity arose. All these components are present in the striking Albanian Lament, which evokes traditional singing styles, spoken texts and a powerful, densely textured, dissonant yet resonant electronic score. The piano pieces, adapted from the composer's film music, evoke Scriabin in their wandering chromaticism, and display a more conventional aspect of his output. The electronic Polymotion incorporates the traditional Albanian 'mountain cry' style of vocal declamation into the tape part, with the two cellos in a supporting role, in urgent, ornamented counterpoint in two separate episodes within the work's brooding landscape. Both Spectrum and the string orchestra Policentrum are densely polyphonic, the first light and rhythmically energetic; the latter tense and jaggedly polymodal, the two works sharing characteristic Balkan rhythmic structures. The solo clarinet work evokes traditional Albanian vocal laments in the context of the contemporary clarinet vocabulary. 2001 release.