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NW 80636CD
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"The long and illustrious career of American composer Henry Brant (born 1913) can be framed with the music he has written for the flute. The Pulitzer Prize-winning composer's three epic works for multiple flutes do not fit into any standard category of instrumentation or form; rather, they span the creative life of a man who for all of his life has been referred to as a 'maverick,' a 'pioneer,' an 'experimentalist,' and, since the 1950s, the 'world's leading composer of 'spatial' music,' in which the placement of the musicians around the performance space is as important a compositional element as the timbre, time, or pitch. It is with the development of his use of space as an intrinsic part of his musical vocabulary that Brant established himself as a major figure in American music of the twentieth century. Brant wrote 'Angels and Devils' (1931), now recognized as the first flute orchestra or 'flute choir' piece of the twentieth century, in 1931 at the age of 18, after having heard a performance of Stravinksy's Symphony of Psalms and being struck by the unique use of five flutes in the orchestration. This recording of 'Angels and Devils' is a re-mastering of the historic LP released on CRI in 1956. Brant's compositional precociousness in this seminal work is creative and sophisticated. The harmonic language features a generous use of jazz-like polychords with up to eleven notes, one pitch for each instrument, alternating with a playfully light, less dense 'normal' harmonic vocabulary, often borrowing from the popular music language of his musical environment. 'The Mass in Gregorian Chant for Multiple Flutes' [1984] (subtitled Mass for June 16), composed in 1984, is scored for as many flutists as possible with approximately twenty percent of the flutists doubling on piccolo. 'Ghosts and Gargoyles' (2001) is scored for solo flute (also playing piccolo and bass flute) with an octet comprised of piccolos, C-flutes, alto flutes and bass flutes, plus a jazz drummer."
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INNO 409CD
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"Let no-one say that Henry Brant, America's senior experimental composer, doesn't have a sense of humor. If Charles Ives had been into Monty Python it would not have reached the heights of epic grandeur and inspired lunacy heard on this second volume of Brant works. Here are three concertos: a triple concerto for Oberlin College's zaniest, a violin concerto for Daniel Kobialka (violin wizard of the San Francisco Symphony), and a double bass concerto for Lewis Paer (who has recorded for Steve Reich and Fame). 'Solar Moth' (a miracle of overdubbing technique whereby Brant himself plays most of the parts) creates some of the mothiest sounds ever heard, at least in this solar system. At the other underwater extreme, 'Ghost Nets' protests the destruction of marine life by driftnet fishing practices. Part Two of The Henry Brant Collection. Certified dolphin safe."
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2CD
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INNO 408CD
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"At ninety, the composer continues to produce formidable, trail-blazing symphonic works like 'Ice Field', which captured the Pulitzer last year. And his place in the history books is assured. Consider the specs: friend to Copland, Varèse, Antheil, Cowell and Partch, source of inspiration to scores of musicians worldwide, and the composer of over 100 strikingly original spatial works, a dozen of which incorporate truly massive ensembles. Nope, Brant looms large regardless. It's just that the scope and magnitude of Brant's work, its seemingly inexhaustible creative intensity, its expressive deployment of musicians in space, its fantastic combinations of tonal flavors, and, most importantly, its intrinsic listenability, would seem to make it a prime candidate for big-screen exploitation. As matters stand, though, Hollywood's denial is Innova's gain. It is with unbounded delight that we present the first installment of a great and glorious undertaking: a series of CDs featuring some of Brant's major works, most previously unreleased. The Henry Brant Collection, Volume 1, a deluxe 2-CD set featuring a pair of Brant's monumental works, 'Northern Lights Over the Twin Cities' (100 mins, 6 conductors) and 'A Plan of the Air' (25 mins, 2 conductors) provides a marvellous introduction to Brant's world."
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