Composers Proclaim ‘Mormoniana’
Sixteen American composers have collaborated in a unique joint work that combined contemporary art and music. The work, “Mormoniana,” represents the first time that many of the well-respected and prize-winning composers participating have broadcast their religious affiliation.
(PRWEB) March 13, 2004-- In a unique work bound to raise eyebrows and excite
musical interest, sixteen American composers have collaborated in a joint work
that combined contemporary art and music. The work, “Mormoniana,” represents the
first time that many of the well-respected and prize-winning composers
participating have broadcast their religious affiliation.
“Mormoniana” is
a project of the Mormon Artists Group, an informal New York-based organization
of artists belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (members
are commonly known as ‘Mormons’). Like Mussorgsky's “Pictures at an Exhibition,”
the works in “Mormoniana” are musical compositions that draw inspiration from
artwork, in this case, by 16 different Mormon artists. Each of the composers
contributed a movement to the piece, which has been collected into a volume that
also includes reproductions of the artwork that inspired the pieces and a
recording of the pieces played by highly-respected pianist Grant
Johannesen.
The participating composers are a unique group of both
seasoned and well-respected veterans and exciting, young and prize-winning
recent composers. The group includes the most prolific composer in history,
Rowan Taylor, the co-founder and musical director of the Seattle Experimental
Opera, Christian Asplund, National Endowment Jazz Fellowship winning composer
Lisa DeSpain, and the organist emeritus of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Robert
Cundick. Michael Hicks, the author of a new, praised biography of American
composer and maverick Henry Cowell, writes a lengthy essay on Mormon music for
the volume.
“Mormoniana” was initially sold as a limited-edition volume
to collectors, but has now been released in paperback for a wider audience. The
recording of the pieces is also available on compact disk, and a spiral-bound
performance version will be available in a few
weeks.
Mormoniana
Edited by Glen Nelson
Mormon Artists Group
Press
ISBN: 0-85051-011-2 (Paper + Audio CD)
$50.00
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/3/prweb217561.htm