There is certainly no shortage of recordings of
Mendelssohn
's
Songs Without Words
, but this 2023 release has some unusual features. It is a bit broader than the usual subtle, delicate variety; pianist
Bruce Levingston
admits that "[w]hile their subtle, ornamental qualities certainly shine brightest in more intimate settings, closer inspection reveals an unexpected depth and complexity to these miniature masterpieces."
Sono Luminus
backs him up with a rather expansive acoustic in its versatile studio. Perhaps the main attraction here, though, is the set of
seven new Songs Without Words
by
Cecil Price Walden
, commissioned by
Levingston
at the behest of a physician who wanted to memorialize his co-workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike many contemporary works whose titles make reference to 19th century genres,
Walden
's clearly derive from
. The tonal palette is slightly expanded (and just slightly), but the basic configuration of
's works, with an evocative but elusive melody enhanced by fleeting pieces of commentary in accompaniment and ornamentation. In addition to the COVID aspect, there are hints of other social meanings in
's work; one of his pieces is entitled "Protest," but these do not fundamentally inflect his compositional language in what is essentially an elegant little album of Romantic and neo-Romantic music.
lovers will certainly find this release of interest. ~ James Manheim