New Energy For The Americas

New Energy For The Americas

Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra

Ocean Records, 1997

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 07/16/1997

Since I was a small boy, I have always enjoyed classical music -thanks in part to the "Funk & Wagnalls Family Library of GreatMusic" collection that A&P offered back in the mid-70s. Truestory: I spent almost five years searching for a specific versionof Bach's "Brandenburg Concertos" before I finally unearthed it onCD. Though I mostly review rock on these pages, I still enjoykicking back once in a while with a good classical album.

But many people don't realize that classical music didn't diewith the great composers; it is still an art form which is aliveand well. Two composers, Eduardo Alonso-Crespo and Nancy Galbraith,are prime examples of this, as highlighted on the disc New Energy From The Americas. And while I'll admit I'm stillpartial to artists like Chopin and Mozart, the efforts of these twocomposers are quite admirable.

Under the direction of Keith Lockhart (who has since becomefamous as the third conductor of the Boston Pops), the CincinnatiChamber Orchestra makes a strong case to become as well-known asother symphony orchestras around the world. Their performance onthis disc is incredible - and from what I could see on theInternet, this could be one of the first recordings released bythis group. (This disc is also extremely hard to find; I couldn'tfind a listing for it on Music Boulevard, CD Now, or CD Universe -though I'm sure they could order it for you.) (Editor's note: With the folding of Ocean Records, this one hasprobably become even harder to find.)

Alonso-Crespo's work is represented in the guise of fourselections from three of his works. Written in celebration of the500th anniversary of the discovery of America, Juana, la loca is an opera which has a truly "classical"sound to it, as heard in the two selections from it. The overtureis especially noteworthy - the crests and ebbs of the music almostmake it feel like you are on the journey as well. The "BalletMusic" selection takes a little time to get used to, but alsoproves to be worth the effort.