JOSEPH SCHWANTNER (b.1943): Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra, Morning's Embrace, Chasing Light...

Description: Schwantner is known for his large-scale soundscapes which make use of huge percussion sections to convey the Impressionistic quality of his inspirations. In both Morning's Embrace (2005) and Chasing Light (2008) it's the quality of sunrise and light in the forests of his home in New Hampshire. The brilliance of light is represented by all kinds of pitched and unpitched percussion which gleams, stabs through and sparkles while deeper rumblings and a quasi-minimalist motion anchors the orchestra. Chasing Light actually does with one percussionist (it was jointly commissioned by dozens of small, regional orchestras who can't field the massive number of instruments required by Morning's or by the 1994 concerto (already recorded on RCA). All are World Premiere Recordings. Christopher Lamb (percussion), Nashville Symphony; Giancarolo Guerrero.