Downes Celebrates Earth Day with New Album

Lara Downes on the cover of her new album (courtesy of Shuman Associated, Inc)

This coming Friday Pentatone will release Lara Downes’ latest solo piano album, entitled Love at Last. The release has been timed as a celebration of Earth Day. It is described as “a collection of solo works conceived by Downes to express a message of hope, community and perseverance — each piece a symbol of art’s ability to console and enlighten, emphasizing the connective possibilities of music.” There are 24 tracks in that collection, the shortest running just shy of 90 seconds and the longest taking five and a half minutes. There is a final track of Downes’ “Audio Commentary” lasting two and a half minutes. As expected, Amazon.com has created a Web page for pre-ordering both physical and digital versions.

Two of the tracks involve arrangements that reflect on music of the past. The first is an arrangement by Ignaz Friedman of Johann Sebastian Bach’s BWV 645, the first of the six “Schübler” chorales, based on the hymn “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme” (usually abbreviated in English as “Sleepers Wake”). The second is August Horn’s solo piano account of Franz Schubert’s D. 686 song “Frühlingsglaube” (belief in spring) setting a text by Johann Ludwig Uhland. Both of the arrangements have been recorded for the first time on this album.

For the most part, however, the album consists of works by living composers, most of which are receiving world premieres. There is also one pop tune from the twentieth century, Sammy Fain’s “I’ll Be Seeing You.” This was given an arrangement by Mariel Mayz, which has also been recorded for the first time. With such an abundance of diverse content, listeners will probably be likely to home in on only a few of the tracks that serve as favorites. I suppose my own favorite is Clarice Assad’s “A World of Change;” but I was also drawn to Vijay Iyer’s “Crown thy Good.”

Iyer was one of several composers commissioned by pianist Min Kwon for an America/Beautiful project. The objective was a set of variations on the anthem “America the Beautiful.” Iyer was a skeptical contributor, concerned about the “false banner of patriotism” (his words). He describes his contribution as a “depleted, ambivalent, mournful echo of the original.” The result is decidedly shy of “referential transparency.” Nevertheless, this is a far cry from his jazz improvisations, which reveals a capacity for irony that I have not previously encountered in his music.

What is important is that Downes is attentive to the rhetorical stance taken by each of the contributing composers. One may be overwhelmed by the results. However, this album is a stimulating compilation in which the listener is free to pick and choose his/her/their preferences.