Musica Viva is pleased to present a second recording of chamber music gems from this century. Two of the pieces are European in origin and provide an interesting contrast in style to the others, all written by North Americans. The Kuzmenko and Macmillan works, commissioned by Musica Viva, bring together two lively and contrasting sides of Canadian musical expression: one cosmopolitan, the other definitely « down home », but both hearkening back to European roots. Is our net being cast too wide? Not when one realizes that, in essence, all the pieces are based on dance and movement.

What the critics say:

« …smile-inducing entertainment… Musica Viva guarantees toe-tapping listening in a program that stretches from Scott Joplin rags and Scott Macmillan adaptations of traditional Scottish tunes to a Sonate En Concert by Jean-Michel Damase, a Trio by Francis Poulenc and a Suite of Dances specially commissioned by Musica Viva from Larysa Kuzemenko. »

Scott Macmillan

1-4. Fancy Nat

JEAN-MICHEL DAMASE

5-11. Sonate en concert

FRANCIS POULENC

12-14. Trio for Oboe, Cello and Piano

LARYSA KUZMENKO

15-19. Suite of Dances

SCOTT JOPLIN (arr. Doris Geller)

20-22. Two Rags and a Waltz