Search - Dave Brubeck, John Salmon :: Dave Brubeck: Chromatic Fantasy Sonata; Rising Sun; The Salmon Strikes

A Major Disappointment

Jeff Dunn | Alameda, California United States | 05/24/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I enjoy much of Brubeck's serious music, particularly his choral compositions. Thus all the greater the disappointment associated with this recording, a failure on many counts:



(1) Weak composition. As pointed out by Scott Morrison, the "main event" of the release, the Chromatic Fantasy Sonata, sounds like a student work. For me, the rest of the pieces were mediocre, except for the cuts "Brotherly Love" and "Rising Son."



(2) Poor performance. John Salmon, and friend and admirer of Brubeck's, certainly hits the notes. However, his rubato is not only excessive, but used in the wrong places, converting so-so pieces into "oh no!" pieces. And many of these are supposed to be Bach-like. Followers of Glenn Gould should avoid at all costs.



(3) Diluted value. For a single, non-star performer,free program notes provided by the composer, and only 55 minutes of music, this was a cheapie to produce, and it shows. Naxos should be selling it for $1.98 and be ashamed of itself considering some of the other fine CDs it has sponsored."

Modestly Interesting 'Composed' Music by Brubeck

J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 03/30/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"It pains me to say this, because I've been a fan of Dave Brubeck's for nigh on fifty years, but this CD of 'written out' or 'composed' piano music by him is generally tepid at best. The so-called 'Chromatic Fantasy Sonata,' which takes as its starting point Bach's 'Chromatic Fantasy,' sounds like the efforts of a student. The melodic material is undistinguished, the counterpoint labored, the rhythmic interest (which one would expect to be a high point with Brubeck) is almost non-existent. Add to that a kind of pale Hindemithian harmonic framework and you get an entirely forgettable essay in sonata form. The four movements are 'Allegro molto,' 'Chorale,' 'Fugue' (a really dull one, although "correct" in terms of the polyphony), and 'Chaconne,' (also dull and labored). Five Pieces from 'Two-Part Adventures' is also based on Bach, this time the two-part inventions. It, too, is pretty tame stuff until we get to the last two, 'Eleven Disciples' and 'Chasin' Yourself,' which finally SOUND like Brubeck and have some life to them.'Tritonis,' is based on, you guessed it, the 'diabolus in musica,' in this case two chords a tritone apart. It started life as a guitar and flute duo, then was rewritten for use by Brubeck's own jazz quartet. The solo piano version retains some of the guitar riffs and has some melodic interest, but mostly seems to meander without much important going on. It sounds like improvisation, but not the always-surprising kind one associates with Brubeck. It occasionally tries for grand effects using arpeggios and contrary motion but it doesn't come to very much. 'The Salmon Strikes' was written for this CD's pianist, a long-time Brubeck acolyte, John Salmon. It is lively and energetic and has lots of 'strikes' (in the sense of sforzando chordal attacks) which capture one's attention. This 3-minute piece and the one that follows it are my favorites on the CD. The CD concludes with 'Rising Sun' which, Brubeck's booklet notes explain, was inspired by a haiku of Basho: "A lovely morn! The summer night is gone./ How hushed and still is all the world/
In wonder at the dawn." The quiet manner and use of fistfuls of ninth chords, spiced up with blue notes, makes this an effective impressionistic piece.TT=54:48Scott Morrison"

Mediocre, but an overall poor value

kelsie | Plainview, Texas United States | 03/17/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This was my first Brubeck disc. The music, as others have noted, feels undistinguished overall, and though I approached the Chromatic Fantasy Sonata with high expectations, it was disappointing, seeming to wander aimlessly without any sort of unifying idea. The sonata--the disc's major work--lacks any melodic cohesion and only passingly refers to Bach. The pianist plays with a consistently harsh and loud dynamic, and the music itself is less interesting than a jazz improv session. Fans of classical music and Bach in particular (whose own masterful 'Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue' is used as a starting point for Brubeck's sonata) will be highly disappointed by this sub-par disc."