By John Beall
CD: 978-0-937058-91-6 | $15.95
Combining classical chamber music with traditional folk elements, Wondrous Love features the original compositions of John Beall. During his career as a professional composer, Dr. Beall has drawn increasingly from the folk tunes, hymn tunes, fiddle melodies, and even visual settings of Appalachia. Inspiration for the music ranges from gospel music to the majestic mountain Spruce Knob, portrayed in Beall's second symphony. The pieces, performed by ensembles ranging from two to six in number, all draw upon Appalachian folksongs or southern hymn tunes as melodic material. Among the hymns represented are "Trust and Obey" and the beloved "Amazing Grace", as well as selections from the 1815 hymnbook Kentucky Harmony, and the Southern Harmony hymnbook from 1835.
The composer's original syntheses of classical forms with the more familiar folk elements are included in this double CD set. The booklet accompanying these CDs offers notes by Penn State professor of piano Steven H. Smith, who dicusses concert notes and analyses of the pieces presented here.
Tracklist (Disk One)
1. Wondrous Love: Variations for Viola and Piano
2. Urgently
3. The River: Adagio
4. March tempo
5. Driving, Anguished
6. Quickly, Lightly
7. Slowly, Brooding
8. Fast and Rhythmic
9. Majestically: Allegro
Tracklist (Disk Two)
1. Fast And Vigorous
2. Variations on a Gospel Tune
3. Breakers, for Flute and Piano
4. Like a Whirlwind
5. Foundation: Andante Cantabile
6. Moderately fast
