torsdag 24 Sep 2009, 23:17

Since so-called “classical music” is often thought of as being the dominion of Dead White Men from Europe exclusively, I think it’s important to draw attention to the many brilliant young composers of the here and now, both male and female, who come from all nations and ethnic backgrounds. With that in mind, I urge you all to check out Nora (b. 2003), an American composer who is currently turning out some very exciting and innovative music.

Like Chopin and Scriabin before her, Nora concentrates her compositional efforts on exploring the possibilities manifest in the solo piano. Although her first efforts utilized conventional tonality and traditional forms in a Stravinsky-influenced neoclassical style, by her second piano concerto she had moved to serialism, and then, finally, to the more free-form structures for which she is now best known.

At once simple and complex, her music draws from minimalism and impressionism while including some aleatory elements and utilizing a deceptively narrow tonal range. The end result is beautiful, haunting music that owes as much to John Cage as Erik Satie, while nevertheless remaining utterly original.

A musician of considerable technical skill, Nora’s playing style when interpreting her own works is noted for extensive (but always appropriate) use of rubato.
Here are a few clips of Nora playing selections from her Olympus Suite, a series of short piano pieces inspired by the poetry of Ezra Pound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ860P4iTaM

Alexander scriabin erik satiejohn cageFrederic chopinfranz LisztSergei RachmaninoffJohann Nepomuk Hummel