Last month I reviewed Matthew de Lacey Davidson’s double album The Graceful Ghost. This month my focus is on another multi-disc set issued by Davidson in 2024: Stolen Music, featuring two previously released discs of Davidson’s original compositions (sixteen works in all) and a third “bonus” disc (more on that soon). As befits the project’s title (taken from Davidson’s piece for solo flute), Stolen Music is quite eclectic; the works contained therein are influenced by musics originating from all around the globe. Much of the material contained within these works was obtained via the transcription of folk music by Davidson and others.
For instance, I Had Five Long Years for string quartet (performed by the Solaris String Quartet) is based on a Louisiana prison song, with individual sections sounding more akin to the string music of Shostakovich and Webern. Magyar Rondo for solo viola (played by Rudolf Haken) is Hungarian. The album’s titular piece is a three movement suite for solo flute of melodies from Appalachia, Africa, and Afghanistan, played by Lisa Goethe-McGinn. The booklet which accompanies the CD set lists the various contributing performers and sources of transcription.
Four of the pieces in Stolen Music (The Minute Passacaglia, #5, Signor Grinderino, and Between the Lines) were created via the manipulation of electronic magnetic tape, a technique pioneered by Stockhausen. To those unfamiliar with this method of composition, these pieces may be perceived as bizarre and out of place among the rest of the works in the collection. Millet Music, a birthday tribute to John Cage, is an aleatoric piece for an unspecified number of performers that reminded me of the rhythmically driving work of Steve Reich; I could not resist tapping my foot. I Had Five Long Years also has strong rhythmic passages.
Despite a generic title, Music for Viola and Piano is an emotive, episodic piece that well-showcases the velvety intensity of the viola’s timbre. Stolen Music includes four multi-movement works for piano. Much of Nicklettes: A Piano Suite for Children (played by the composer) is traditionally syncopated. After Brahms (performed by the piano duo TwinMuse) is a set of nine short tangos inspired by Johannes Brahms’ Op. 39 waltzes.
The aforementioned third disc is a piano recital played by Davidson, featuring works from Scarlatti and Bach, through Liszt and Chopin, all the way to Rachmaninov and Bartok. Davidson possesses a formidable technique and good expressive sense. I very much enjoyed listening to this recital, particularly Haydn’s Piano Sonata No. 33 in D major and Prokofiev’s Gavotte Op. 12 No. 2.
In summary, I found the music for viola and flute quite affecting, and very much enjoyed the rhythmic groove of Millet Music and Nicklettes. On the whole, the album was an interesting and enjoyable listening experience for me, save for the pieces for magnetic tape. Congratulations to Matthew de Lacey Davidson for anthologizing his life’s work as a composer! Stolen Music is available for purchase from The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music at sousa@illinois.edu.
Stolen Music: Acoustic and Electronic Works
Matthew de Lacey Davidson
Three discs; self-issued; available through
The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
University of Illinois (Champaign/Urbana)
sousa@illinois.edu
Brandon Byrne is a ragtime composer, performer, and scholar. Max Morath said of Byrne, “Brandon’s unique compositions display unparalleled gifts and hidden virtuosity. His music reflects the past and challenges the future. His playing will touch your soul.” For a full list of his compositions, please visit his website.
