Gramophone

"UNTAMING THE FURY" Summit Records DCD-346

FIERY PERFORMANCES OF EMINENTLY SUITABLE MUSIC FOR A DISTINCTLY MODERN DUO

"The combination of violin and guitar is eminently portable and begs for music that is similarly versatile, both technically and stylistically. Guitarist matt Gould and violinist Beth Ilana Schneider-Gould, Americans now based in Cyprus, certainly rise to the challenge in this collection, which showcases a handful of mostly thirty-something composers who have no problems seamlessly integrating the two instruments in a way that smoothes over any residual stylistic baggage. 

Whereas most pieces for this combination fall at polar extremes - either creating musical statements that neglect to incorporate the essence of the instruments, or empty displays of idiomatic virtuosity that forget entirely about making music - the composers commissioned by Duo46 can write serious music while letting the guitar sound like a guitar. part of the advantage is brevity. 

No piece in this collection goes on for more than eight minutes, and the result is one of intense concision rather than scarcity of ideas. Pierre Jalbert's "Sonatine" condenses an emotional whirlwind into its seven minutes, while Kristi McGarity's cheeky suite, "How the hell are You Felling?", twists its chromatic motive in three distinct movements. 

A good number of these composers have yet to find there voice, but with pieces of this length that does little to diminish the end result. The real success of this recording lies in the duo's fiery performances, which  always seems to have plenty of fury left to unleash, especially when the music seems calm on the surface." - Ken Smith