Chamber Music by José Serebrier

 The most frequently-recorded conductor of our time, who has collaborated with some of the world’s greatest soloists and orchestras, and is among the most sought-after guest conductors, constantly touring with major orchestras around the world, and the recipient of music’s most coveted honors, including 8 GRAMMY^® awards, 2 Guggenheim Fellowships, the Deutsche Schallplatten Award for Best Orchestral Recording, and the Audiophile Magazine’s Award for Best Orchestral Recording (to name just a few) JOSÉ SEREBRIER (b.1938) established himself as a significant composer as far back as the 1950s, with over 100 published works. Serebrier composed music and conducted orchestras since early childhood, conceiving his Opus 1 – Sonata for solo violin at the age of 9, and making his conducting debut at age 11. A composition student of Vittorio Giannini at Curtis, Serebrier also studied with Aaron Copland at Tanglewood, and developed his conducting skills under the auspices of Pierre Monteux and Antal Dorati, as well as through his 5-year association with Leopold Stokowski and the American Symphony Orchestra. Serebrier’s Symphony No.1 (written in just 2 weeks at age 17), was world-premiered by Stokowski, who later also conducted two other works by Serebrier. For 2 consecutive years (the 1968-69 and 69-70 seasons), George Szell named José Serebrier Composer-in-Residence of the Cleveland Orchestra, where Serebrier composed important experimental works (such as his avant-garde concerto Nueve, written for double bassist Gary Karr). Starting with his first-ever work, his Sonata for Solo Violin, Op. 1, José Serebrier has been a major composer of historical importance, whose oeuvre is complex, multi-layered, sophisticated and endlessly inspiring. This album presents seven chamber works by José Serebrier, five of which as world premiere recordings. Serebrier’s luminous lyricism, resplendent melodic language and fascinating harmonies are already evident even in his Op.1 violin sonata, a veritable masterpiece. In addition to Serebrier’s Violin Sonata and the Fantasy for Solo Flute at dusk, in shadows… this album also presents the world premiere recording of Serebrier’s Sonata for Solo Viola, as well as the world premiere recording of his Suite for Solo Cello in 5 movements. Three other world premiere recordings of works by Serebrier are also included: If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking for Horn, Violin and Narrator (after Emily Dickinson’s poem), M.M.P. for Flute and Cello (a delightful short duet) and Nostalgia (transcribed for Solo Violin by Elmira Darvarova). The exhilarating interpretations of the renowned artists – violinist Elmira Darvarova (former Concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera), violist Ronald Carbone (Principal Violist, American Ballet Theatre), cellist Samuel Magill (former Associate Principal Cellist, Metropolitan Opera), flutist Lucian Rinando (Elysian Ensemble) and hornist Howard Wall (New York Philharmonic), as well as the inclusion of five world premiere recordings, make this outstanding disc a desirable acquisition.