DANIEL ASIA (b.1953): Violin Sonata (Curtis Macomber [violin], Christopher Oldfather [piano]), Piano Trio (Frantisek Soucek [violin], Vladimír Fortín [cello], Richard Omrod [piano]).

Description: The sonata is in a clearly delineated five-movement arch form, flanked by two sets of variations on a theme of initially jaunty mood that is gradually led into more emotionally complicated territory. The central slow movement is a stately, introspective processional, bound together by a sequence of chords that function freely as a ground bass of sorts. The linking movements are brief, fragmentary intermezzi. The trio also opens with variations, followed by an emotionally expressive slow movement and a light, lively finale. Throughout both works Asia's vocabulary is of the 20th century mainstream, basically tonal, and clear and open of texture, with appealing variety of rhythmic vitality and harmonic flair in an eloquent but economical post-neoclassical context, free of bombast or excessive theatricality.