Song of the Redwood-Tree
The Music of Sunny Knable

MSR Classics presents a concert originally scheduled for March 31, 2020, of music by award-winning composer Sunny Knable in celebration of his album “Song of the Redwood-Tree”. Featured performers include bassoonist Scott Pool and pianist Natsuki Fukasawa who commissioned Song of the Redwood-Tree, a song-cycle on poems by Walt Whitman (sung by Stefanie Izzo), and The Busking Bassoonist.  This concert will include two world premieres written before and after the world-wide shutdown: ...the place of longing (2019) for Trio Cabrini and Tenacity (2022) for Parhelion Trio. Also featured are Elizabeth Pitcairn, violinist of the “Red Mendelssohn” Stradivarius, with her frequent collaborator, pianist Barbara Podgurski.

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As Knable writes about his upcoming album: "If you had asked me 10 years ago what my second composition album would consist of, I would probably give you a lofty answer, like an opera or a symphony.  I didn't know that this last decade would define me as the composer of multiple successful pieces for bassoon.  I had written for the often-underused bass instrument in woodwind quintets and large ensembles, but had never fully explored its soloistic capabilities until I had the good fortune of meeting the rollicking performer that is Scott Pool.   What emerged from our friendship was the commissioning of two of my most proud and personal achievements: Song of the Redwood-Tree and The Busking Bassoonist which have been performed multiple times by Scott of his long-term collaborator Natsuki Fukasawa.  Since then, I have gone on to write for bassoon in odd combinations including for the singing-bassoonist Gina Cuffari and for the sax/bassoon group, Xelana Duo.  It's safe to say that this is only the beginning of a long relationship I will have with this instrument."  

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PROGRAM

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The Green Violin (2019)
a fantasy on an Irish theme

Elizabeth Pitcairn, violin; Barbara Podgurski, piano

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…the Place of Longing (2019)

 on the subject of immigration: loss, memory and the city
Trio Cabrini: Nuno Antunes, clarinet/bass clarinet;

Gina Cuffari, bassoon/voice; Vlada Yaneva, piano/accordion

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Song of the Redwood-Tree (2013)
a song-cycle on poetry by Walt Whitman
     I. A California Song
     II. Death-Chant
     III. Golden Pageant
Stefanie Izzo, soprano;

Scott Pool, bassoon; Natsuki Fukasawa, piano

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INTERMISSION

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Tenacity (2022)

an expression of artistic loss and hope in the times of COVID-19 
Parhelion Trio: Sarah Carrier, flute;

Ashleé Miller, clarinet; Andrea Christe, piano
 

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                                The Busking Bassoonist (2013)  

                                     I. Underground Blues

                                     II. Park Bench Ballad

                                     III. Street Changes

                                a bassoon sonata on the New York experience

                                Scott Pool, bassoon; Natsuki Fukasawa, piano

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