Imbrie: Requiem (1984)

This release offers world premiere recordings of two major compositions by the masterful Andrew Imbrie, a student of Roger Sessions at Princeton. Imbrie’s Requiem was written as a response to the sudden death of his son in1981. It is a deeply moving work of prodigious accomplishment, setting traditional liturgy alongside commentary in the form of poetry by William Blake. It may be considered one of the few truly great 20th Century American choral works. His Piano Concerto No. 3 was composed for Alan Feinberg and the Riverside Symphony, who perform the piece here. It occupied two years of the composer’s life, and contains a wealth of rich musical thought. The opening is suggested by the insistent background of taxi horns in New York City, according to the composer, and the high intensity of the work, and this performance, constantly remind the listener of the musical energy levels of our urban envious.