Stars Stories Song

Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon composer
David Liptak composer

Jamie Jordan soprano; Joanna Bassett flute; Dieter Hennings Yeomans guitar; Pia Liptak violin; Julia Shulman bass; Tomasz Arnold percussion; Jerry Hou conductor; Tomasz Arnold marimba; Megan Arns percussion; Chien-Kwan Lin alto saxophone; Michael Burritt marimba

Release Date: October 14, 2014
Catalog #: RR7897
Format: Digital & Physical
21st Century
Vocal Music
Large Ensemble
Percussion
Voice

Our human history, our search for something greater than ourselves, and our discoveries in the process are reflected in the tales we tell. As with words, music can express our stories, and composers David Liptak and Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon present several sonic narratives, referencing authors, poets, astronomers, folk musicians, and more on their debut Ravello Records release, STARS STORIES SONG.

Each of the pieces in Liptak’s Preludes focuses on a single idea, from movements of celestial objects to imagery of lightness and darkness to short phrases from literary works, while yo no / tú sí / yo tú / sí no and Flores de Viento III by Zohn-Muldoon respectively use texts by Raúl Aceves and Laura Zohn. Liptak’s The Eye that Directs a Needle and Freight make reference to works by historical figures, the former being Maria Mitchell, one of America’s first professional astronomers, and the latter being folk guitarist Elizabeth Cotten. Daphne, for solo marimba, by Zohn-Muldoon is a musical metaphor of the Greek myth of Daphne and Apollo, depicting the nymph’s dizzying race from her pursuer. These two composers shape tales about what’s real and imagined, and what’s yet to be discovered.

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Artist Information

Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon

Composer

The music of Mexican-born composer Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon is characterized by its detailed sculpting of musical ideas and "kaleidoscopic" contrapuntal design. Mexican literature has provided the point of departure for many of his compositions, such as Pluck. Pound. Peel., on aphorisms by Raul Aceves, the miniature opera NinoPolilla, on a libretto by Juan Trigos Sr., and the scenic cantata Comala, based on the novel Pedro Paramo, by the noted Mexican writer Juan Rulfo. Comala was selected as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2011. Other professional honors include the 2011 Lillian Fairchild Award and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, Camargo Foundation, and Mexico's Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Artes. Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon joined the composition faculty of the Eastman School in 2002.

David Liptak

Composer

David Liptak's music has been described as "luminous and arresting," "richly atmospheric," and having "transparent textures, incisive rhythms, shimmering lightness".