Anne Akiko Meyers: Seasons...dreams
Friday, September 10, 2010
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ViolinFest
Throughout September, WQXR explores the many sides of the iconic instrument. Hear great recordings from the young "rock stars" of the instrument to the established veterans, and the greats of the past.
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If you're in the mood for an album that celebrates the change of seasons – and who isn't these days – violinist Anne Akiko Meyers’ "Seasons…dreams" may be just the thing. This new collection features arrangements of songs by Debussy, Faure, Wagner, Gershwin and others containing seasonal and dream-related texts. It’s this week's Full Rotation.
The San Diego-born Meyers got her start as a child prodigy, appearing on the Tonight Show at age 10, soloing with the New York Philharmonic at 12, and landing a major-label contract by the time she was 21. Today, she leads a more unconventional career, performing during Fashion Week in New York, touring with crossover artists like Chris Botti and Il Divo, and giving recitals in nightclubs. She also takes a modern approach to recording.
"Seasons...dreams" charts a path from works with a spring theme (Beethoven’s cheery "Spring" Sonata and Gene Pritsker’s Variations on Sakura Sakura), on to summer (Gershwin’s "Summertime"), fall ("Autumn in New York," "Autumn Leaves") and finally, winter (Alfred Schnittke’s "Stille Nacht"). Framing these are several ruminations on dreams, including Faure’s "After a Dream" and Debussy’s "Beau Soir."
Throughout, Meyers applies a sweet, burnished tone, while accompanied by her longtime pianist Reiko Uchida and Emannuel Ceysson, the principal harpist of the Paris Opera Orchestra. Thankfully, the shorter arrangements here avoid the saccharine quality that can sometimes afflict such collections, and the Beethoven is given a nuanced and sensitive reading.
This album can be heard throughout the week of Sept. 13 on WQXR. Anne Akiko Meyers appears on WNYC's Soundcheck on Thursday, Sept. 16, and at Le Poisson Rouge on Sunday, Sept. 19.
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Seasons…dreams
Anne Akiko Meyers, violin
Reiko Uchida, piano
Emmanuel Ceysson, harp
E1 Music
Available at Arkivmusic
Comments [1]
I was delighted to hear my Uncle Walter Gross's song "Tenderly" played on WQXR tonight from the album of Anne Akiko Meyers, but appalled that the announcer, Terence McKnight announced neither the title nor the composer. Looking at the album credits, I see why he did not mention Walter: The selection is a medley consisting of "Tenderly" and the Kosma-Prevert classic "Autumn Leaves," both from 1946, and only Kosma is credited as the composer. But that's still no excuse for your announcer mentioning only the title "Autumn Leaves" and completely omitting to announce "Tenderly."
Helene R. Spierman
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