I was late getting to the Times today and just noticed that Andrew Imbrie has died. Joshua Kosman’s obituary is here. Robert P. Commanday remembers him here.
Imbrie wasn’t nearly as spectacular or well-known a musical figure as Stockhausen but through his prolific and quietly impeccable body of work, his teaching, and his singular, unique voice, he may have been just as influential. You can listen to his magnificent Requiem, written in 1984 after the death of his son, free at Art of the States. I’m listening to it now.
Hi, Carmen. The soloist is Lisa Saffer, with the New York Virtuoso Singers
Riverside Symphony, George Rothman, conductor. The recording was done by our dear friends at Bridge Records.
Thank you, Jerrry, for leading us to the recording of Imbrie’s Requiem, which I did not know. A wonderful work! Who are the performers? They are wonderful, especially the soprano.
Carmen
That would be Spring Fever, which my typewriter challenged fingers obviously seem to have. Jeff, Jerry, David et al: please, please, please bring back the preview feature here; its continued absence is keeping those of us who are embarrassed by our mediocre typing skills–well–embarrassed.
I wake up to a CD alarm clock every morning, and all this week its soundtrack has been an all-Imbrie disc featuring performances of three of his works by the San Francisco Contemporary Chamber Players (Albany/Troy 538). While my schedule has not allowed me to listen to the disc in its entirety each morning, today I didn’t begin the chores of the day until listening through all of Srping Fever, a wonderful piece for largish chamber ensemble. Only discipline prevented me from continuining on with his gorgeous Chicago Bells for violin and piano.
Andrew Imbrie’s “Pilgrimage” [for flute, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, and cello sextet] is a beautiful work of chamber music (in two movements, Allegro con moto and Andante maestoso)
written at about the same time (and in the same spiritual vein) as his Requiem for his son. It is available on gm recordings (and also Art of the States?).