Concert Music 2001

One might say, it is time, that a compilation of compositions of classical music by Fred Hersch has been published. The pieces let the inspiration of this very talented composer come through - especially regarding the aspect, that it can be resumed, that many jazz-compositions by Fred Hersch have a classical inspiration. The "Three-Character-Studies" and especially the 24 variations on the St. Matthew-Passion ("Oh Haupt voll Blut und Wunden") by J.S. Bach (respectively Leo Hassler, 1562-1612) are very good examples for the widely-spread impact of any kind of music-styles. I have seldom heard such an outstanding CD with classical music. Simply georgeous are the "Lyric Pieces for Trio", which give an association to Brahms and to the French impressionists. The pieces are perfomed by extraordinary good American musicians.

All in all: Very good music, also recommended to friends of classical music.

Fred Hersch (b1955) is primarily known as a jazz pianist who has played with such greats as Charlie Haden, Joe Henderson, Art Farmer, Toots Thielemans and others. But he has been composing 'classical' music right along and is getting heard more and more in this genre. I first heard a piece of his, 'Tango Bittersweet', for cello and piano, on a 1994 CD called 'Memento Bittersweet' which contained music written by composers with HIV. Memento Bittersweet That piece is also on this CD, played here by Hersch, piano, and Dorothy Lawson. It is a soulful cantilena that, for me, nearly always brings tears to my eyes. Surely that is partly due to my recollection of the earlier CD and the realization that some of its musicians are no longer with us because of AIDS.

The 'big' work on this CD is a real winner. It is a twenty-five minute set of piano variations from 2002 on the familiar chorale tune known best as 'O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden' from its appearances in Bach's St. Matthew Passion, but which was actually written by Hans Leo Hassler and then used by Bach a number of times in various works. The twenty-four variations are entirely tonal and use various of the eclectic styles available to the contemporary composer. One thinks of such modern sets of variations as Rochberg's Caprice Variations or Rzewski's 'Variations on "The People United Will Never Be Defeated."' While never quite as 'out there' as some of the Rochberg or Rzewski variations, Hersch's takes on the chorale tune are invariably smartly crafted, cleverly varied and beguilingly harmonized. When I first heard it I immediately went back and heard it two more times back to back. Pianist Blair McMillen plays it brilliantly. I can easily imagine this work being played widely to appreciative audiences. One hopes so.

The disc starts with 'Three Character Studies' (2001). The first is a study for left hand alone that reminds one of the early Scriabin left-hand etudes. The second, called 'Spinning Song (for Penny)' whirls merrily along for less than a minute. The third, 'Chorinho (Study in Thirds and Sixths) (for Spike)' is in a catchy Brazilian tango meter that nonetheless sometimes sounds much like a Joplin (or Bolcom) rag. (Spike, by the way, is Hersch's cat.) The three studies are played with flair by pianist Natasha Paremski.

'Lyric Pieces for Trio' (2004) is played lovingly by the Gramercy Trio (Sharan Leventhal, violin; Jonathan Miller, cello; Randall Hodgkinson, piano) for whom it was written. It is in one songful movement, a loosely organized rondo lasting about eleven minutes. Harmonies are gauzy and French-influenced.

The disc ends with three 'Saloon Songs' (2005), played loosey-goosey by McMillen. These are down and dirty ragtime pieces. 'Four-Part Slow Drag' is an ironic-sad lament clearly modeled on similar slow rags by Joplin, but with more modern harmonies. 'The Last-Call Rag' limns the slow, unsteady progress of a saloon patron to the bar at 'last call'. 'The Bowery Rag' is a classic rag that is nonetheless surely more harmonically slip-slidey than anything Joplin ever wrote.

This CD has left me hungry for more music by Fred Hersch who clearly has the talent to write significant, as well as downright fun, pieces for those of us who are more classically-oriented.

A brilliant release. An unequivocal recommendation.

Scott Morrison

for those of us who know fred hersch the jazz pianist, this album give us the accomplished composer as well.
the reason i love this album is the performance by Blair Mcmillan of Fred's 24 variations on a Bach chorale.
I teach some of them to students and of course, his famous Tango variation is a gem.