Beethoven/Mozart: Orchestral Works CD

======Third Sonata for Cello and Piano, "Terror and Reconciliation" (1993)As with the Second Symphony, this piece was originally for a different instrumentation. Conceived as a monumental piece for bassoon and piano, it quickly caught on in its cello version and has received several performances that way. The subtitle "Terror and Reconciliation" came about as the piece, after its US premiere in 1993, was first performed in France at one of the concerts for the 50 anniversary of the British bombing of the port city of Le Havre in 1994. Despite that connection, the stylistic elements of the piece are very similar to those of the Second Symphony, especially the first movement's opening rhythms.

======First Symphony, "in Two Movements" (1979-80) for orchestraThis piece was conceived as a doctoral dissertation. Yet it shuns many of the usual academic elements associated with such a project. Although structure-wise and orchestration-wise it is mostly atypical of a symphony, it nevertheless has quite a few of the standard symphonic elements and a monumental feel to it - although its quiet sections are longer and more quiet than usual, and the resulting outbursts of energy at times reach the frenetic. Despite having been written much earlier than the other two pieces preceding it on this CD, the stylistic connections between the compositions are many. This earlier style is really only a somewhat wilder version of the same, but more mature style heard in "Monuments" and the cello sonata.