Vollrath / Norswothy / Hagino - Carl Vollrath: Lingering Longings - Music for Clarinet & Piano, Vol. 2 [CD]

Expanding upon the first release in this collection, Past Recollections: Music for Clarinet & Piano, Vol. 1, the composer continues to celebrate past events through musical narratives, tenderly and radiantly performed by clarinetist Michael Norsworthy and pianist Yoko Hagino. On this album, Vollrath takes a more personal approach than previously, conveying stories about small towns, like Troy, Alabama where the composer has taught since 1965; Christmas parties; and inspiring musicians in pieces such as Tim and Trina's Ball, Trina's Path, and Once a By Gone Time. Odd Pieces illustrates magical pictures of a young blossoming mind. One of these pieces, "Gaby with the Green Eyes," is about a young girl who lived with Debussy in Paris. The album culminates with Evan's Haven, a companion piece to "Little Violet," featured on the first volume, and written for clarinetist Timothy Phillips when his son was born. The first volume of Vollrath's works for clarinet and piano on Navona Records, Past Recollections (NV5988), is praised for having "a straightforward lyricism at times, and a dance-like colloquial feel at others, but always a nicely unpretentious air of somewhat complicated simplicity" (Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review) The album features clarinetist Michael Norsworthy, hailed for playing "with beautiful tonal nuances" (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review), and "technical agility, musicality, and control" (Clarinet Magazine). American Record Guide says, "The tenderness and effort Michael Norsworthy puts into each note on the clarinet is enviable" These works feature pianist Yoko Hagino, who has received prizes at several competitions, including the Steinway Society Piano Competition, the First International Chamber Music Competition, and the All-Japan Selective Competition of the International Mozart Competition, among others. Vollrath's music has been recorded by Grammy Award-winning clarinetist Richard Stoltzman and the highly acclaimed pianist Karolina Rojahn His compositional output includes an opera, orchestral music, symphonies for winds, chamber music, and solo piano works. Since 1965, Vollrath has been a member of the music faculty at Troy University in Alabama.