邦楽ジャーナル、2010年12月に287号に出版されたCD「森が囁いて...」についての評論 Review of Marty Regan’s Selected Works for Japanese Instruments, Vol. 1: Forest Whispers... published in the Hōgaku Journal, December 2010, Vol. 287 (English translation)

Review of Forest Whispers... published in the Asian Music Journal 43.1. Winter/Spring 2012.

“Marty Regan is one of the few academics and musicians who have mediated Japanese and Western music. Since 2002 he has been associated with AURA-J, a Japanese ensemble that has specialised in that country’s contemporary and traditional musics and their synthesis. In this connection he has written some 45 works for traditional instruments. We encounter five of them here on New England’s eclectic Navona Records label. Regan was a joint composition and East Asian Studies graduate from Oberlin and for two years studied composition and playing traditional instruments under a bursary from the Japanese government. His translation of Minoru Miki’s book “Composing for Japanese Instruments” was published by Rochester University Press in 2008.As will be all too evident the writer is completely ignorant of Japanese music. Worse; his ‘familiarity’ with it can be put down to the title music to Tenko, several works of Cowell, Eichheim and Hovhaness and the music for Sondheim’s Pacific Overtures! Woeful! Even so perhaps my experience will be valuable to the vast potential audience who have no prior knowledge. The Song-Poem of the Eastern Clouds is a duo for shakuhachi and koto. The former is a breathy flute; the latter a complex mandolin-like instrument - in this case running to a phenomenal 21 strings. The instruments may be traditional but the delicate music-making has a knowing romantic tendency - not so knowing as to stifle the legacy but certainly inflected with a connoisseur’s sentiment. The two plucked instruments used in the three movement Evanescent Yearning (koto and shamisen) are less sentimental - more chastely Bachian in effect though the jaunty two tier contrast of the final section raises a smile among the severe acres. The contrast between cultures is more dramatic in In Remembrance where Regan pairs Shakuhachi with Western piano trio. It’s a slow affectionate lament which brought to mind Alla Pavlova. It’s a lovely piece and really should be picked up by Classic FM. The Western instruments bring out the inflections of the koto. fastpass! features the delicate pizzicato of the shamisen and the tabla-like discreet percussion impacts of the ko-tsuzumi. We end with Forest Whispers for the confiding and swaying mysteries of the shakuhachi. This is mated with a dignified incantatory cello which, with its written slurs and sinuous contours, matches the shakuhachi’s trajectory.”

— Music Web International (November 7, 2010)

“Here’s a curious release. Marty Regan hardly looks Japanese; he went to Oberlin, took lessons on Japanese instruments at the Tokyo College of Music at the turn of the century and completed a PhD in Hawaii in 2006. He is now an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University. This record was made in Tokyo and employs the shakuhachi, a 21-string koto, shamisen, and ko-tsuzumi along with piano trio. The sounds are primarily ethnic Japanese and the style is highly evocative of Japanese style, at least to these Western ears. There are no liner notes but the cover suggests that I put the disc in my computer “to access exclusive interactive multimedia content.” Oh, is he going to teach me to play the shakuhachi, I wonder? OK, I’ll try it. Well, that was an adventure! My computer was reluctant to load the disc but eventually gave us a great deal of information: liner notes by the composer, all of the scores (to turn pages you must put your arrow on the top right corner of each page), a number of photographs of everyone with their instruments, film clips of parts of performances, bios of the performers, and information about the record company. So if you’re interested in seeing all of these odd instruments in action, this is a good way to do it. ‘Song-Poem’ is for shakuhachi and 21-string koto, ‘Evanescent Yearning’ is for shamisen and koto, In Remembrance is for shakuhachi and piano trio and refers to 9/11, ‘fastpass!’ is for shamisen and ko-tsuzumi, and ‘Forest Whispers’ is for shakuhachi and cello. This is pleasant music."

— D MOORE American Record Guide (Nov/Dec 2010)

“I have listened to the ravishingly beautiful music of Marty Regan with delight. “Forest Whispers” is a compact disc that will repay multiple hearings as the music is so rich and varied—and so lovely–that listeners will discover new beauties as they return again and again to favorite tracks. A wonderful amalgam of the Japanese and the Western that respects both traditions, it is also wholly individual: only Marty Regan could have composed this music.”

— Byron Adams

““Forest Whispers” is a collection of chamber music for Japanese instruments, and Japanese instruments combined with Western instruments. Each of the selections is beautifully recorded. Mr. Regan’s beautiful compositions explore the sounds of the koto, shamisen and shakuhachi in an accessible, compelling manner that sets forth a new standard for non-derivative, original music. The works for mixed Western and Japanese instruments, particularly the title cut, display an adept understanding of the beauty and subtlety of both tradition sounds.”

— James Schlefer

“A beautiful, airy recording filled with nuance and suggestion. Regan’s handling of instruments is confident and subtle, creating a world both intimate and distant. Accessible, heartfelt and sublimely performed music that deserves a listen.”

— Donald Reid Womack

“Marty Regan is representative of a younger generation of talented composers who approach Japanese music both as an insider and outsider–the best of all possible combinations. Not only does he have a thorough grasp of the techniques of Japanese instruments, more importantly he understands the cultural background of the music and instruments. His compositions, however, are completely his own. They respect the métier while breathing new life into the tradition and expanding the possibilities inherent in hōgaku (music for traditional Japanese instruments). “Forest Whispers,” his first commercially released CD, contains a creative collection of such compositions, including duets of shakuhachi, koto, shamisen, kotsuzumi and two stunning pieces combining Japanese and Western instruments.”

— Christopher Yohmei Blasdel

“The music of Marty Regan is beautifully recorded and performed by outstanding artists on this DVD/CD. What a lovely resource for performers and students of composition. It not only includes audio tracks, but also contains jpegs of the scores in the composer’s hand writing on the DVD. While these files and the composers notes do not automatically load on an apple mac, they are easily accessible when loading the disc on a computer. And of course the tracks play on a regular CD player as well. Marty’s compositions for Japanese instruments represent a rather unique collaboration between a young American composer and Japan’s premier contemporary ensemble of traditional Japanese instruments. While both continuing the aesthetic of Aura-J’s repertoire and legacy of 20th and 21st century works for koto, shakuhachi, shamisen and ko-tsuzumi, this collection brings a beautiful balance with the introduction of cello, violin and piano half way through the CD. The journey of this disc begins with solo shakuhachi in a pensive and reflective work composed in a traditional mode, and then develops through five contrasting compositions which introduce us to very different modalities and harmonies, and non-traditional and playful rhythmic passages for traditional Japanese instruments. While Marty’s works do not break new ground, they do represent some lovely expressions of our contemporary hybrid world of music making, and express his clear love and respect for the instruments featured on this CD. A beautiful listening experience.”

— Anne Norman

“Marty Regan’s CD “Forest Whispers” is a rare thing - a true and strong hybrid of East and West, with a lovely sense of instrumental color from Eastern musical traditions combined with the three-dimensional harmonic sensibility of the West.”

— David Conte

“Marty Regan is a composer who fluidly – like water – moves between Japanese and Western classical music and blends the two in the most natural way. The music is a testimony to the fact that Regan is bi-musical and writes for instruments such as the Japanese bamboo flute shakuhachi, long-necked lute shamisen, zither koto and percussion ko-tsuzuumi as well as piano and violoncello. He creates a unique sound world of his own that simultaneously feels classical and modern to the listener. Regan carefully juxtaposes the instruments whether they are from the same or different traditions and find common grounds in their musical expression, on which he build the piece. He gracefully takes the listener on a journey moving between Western and Japanese traditions so that even the attentive listener looses track when these borders were crossed and transcended.”

— Kiku Day

“In this beautifully performed and recorded disc, Regan combines a western romantic sensibility with a thorough knowledge of Japan’s traditional instruments. Idiomatic and resonant, the pieces range from rhythmically intricate virtuosity to a spare, heartfelt simplicity.”

— Elizabeth Brown

Song-Poem of the Eastern Clouds (2001), shakuhachi and 21-string koto
This piece is written in the traditional idiom of shakuhachi and koto with a modern expression of emotional intensity. It is poetic, like drops of water and wisps of cloud. A cyclic, microtonal movement heard throughout is ascendant in pitch, whereupon the sound is brought back down to earth by the koto’s arpeggiated descent. The piece is evocative, reflective, yearning, and powerful. Regan has made the “foreign” sounds of traditional Japanese music accessible to all audiences. Performing artists are of the highest caliber. I would recommend that at least some short biography of the artists is included in the CD.

Evanescent Yearning... (2008) shamisen and koto
The similar yet contrasted timbres of the koto and shamisen are utilized to great effect. The shamisen provides many opportunities for rhythmic intensity and raw drive in contrast to the more delicate shades of koto sound.

In Remembrance... (2006), shakuhachi and piano trio
Regan shows a remarkable ability to bring the disparate musical traditions of the classical piano trio together with the Japanese shakuhachi through a gorgeous blend of timbre and harmony. The shakuhachi and strings come together in their natural inclination towards long lines and nuanced phrasing, while the harmonic language provides great emotional thrust. The ending reference to the honkyoku Tamuke is especially poignant in bringing the listener to remembrance of those who have passed on.

fastpass! (2007), shamisen and ko-tsuzumi
Regan exploits the rhythmic and timbral possibilities of the traditional noh drum and shamisen through the use of syncopation, microtonal pitch bends, and strummed chords. This is an exciting, energetic and intriguing composition.

Forest Whispers... (2008), shakuhachi and violoncello
A dialogue between friends, this composition explores the possibilities inherent in the rich voice of the cello and the timbral colors of the shakuhachi. As the leading voice, the shakuhachi in essence teaches the cello how to maximize its own microtonal potential. This piece is ruminative, expansive and gives performers a palette from which to express themselves.

Marty Regan’s true absorption of Japanese traditional styles, instrumental idioms, and cultural concepts of time, space and timbre are reinvented in modern chamber music that is wonderful to listen to in its aesthetic appeal, poetic nature and intellectual structure.

— Martha Fabrique

“Forest Whispers, a CD that contains five of Marty Regan’s 21st-century works for traditional Japanese instruments (two together with Western instruments), may well become recognized as a major milestone in the internationalization of composition for, and appreciation of traditional Japanese instruments.

The CD’s first selection, “Song-Poem of the Eastern Clouds” (2001), is imbued with Japanese aesthetics and for two Japanese instruments, shakuhachi and koto, while “Forest Whispers” (2008), also imbued with Japanese aesthetics is for a remarkably effective fusion of east and west, shakuhachi and violoncello; in a contrasting approach to fusion, the fourth selection, “fastpass!” is for Japanese shamisen and ko-tsuzumi in a composition imbued with a typically American sense of haste and energy.

The excellent recording of fine performances by outstanding Japanese artists of these works of artistic imagination and beauty are evidence Regan’s mastery of Japanese instruments and deep appreciation of Japanese aesthetics, as well as his American heritage of energy; and the CD, when placed in a PC, provides the scores, extensive notes including the source of inspiration for each piece, information about the instruments and performers, and even photos of the recording process.”

— Barbara B. Smith, Professor Emerita, University of Hawaiʻi

“Here are but a few reasons why Marty Regan’s latest album, Forest Whispers… deserves a wide audience. Firstly and most importantly, it is a very enjoyable listen, which is not always the case with recordings of contemporary music for hôgaku (traditional Japanese) instruments. Secondly, it features musicians who all represent the apogee of their profession; they are in the class of musicians who are worth hearing, regardless of what they are playing. Finally, Regan’s compositions are important additions to the repertoire of traditional Japanese music; reminiscent of earlier pieces by such luminaries as Matsumura Teizo and Nagasawa Katsutoshi. BTW, the CD artwork is superb too.”

— Riley Lee

“Mary Regan’s “Forest Whispers...” provides an impressive sample of his compositions for traditional Japanese instruments in combinations that include western instruments as well. He has solidly established himself with top professional performers who specialize in new music for these instruments, and should be seriously listened to by composers who embrace cross-cultural interactions.”

— Takeo Kudo

邦楽ジャーナル、2012年8月に307号に出版されたCD「魔鏡」についての評論 Review of Marty Regan’s Selected Works for Japanese Instruments, Vol. 2: Magic Mirror... published in the Hōgaku Journal, August 2012, Vol. 307 (Japanese only)

“Marty Regan (b. 1972), who teaches at Texas A&M University has worked extensively with Japanese instruments and counts the great Japanese composer Minoru Miki as one of his teachers and mentors. Each of the six works on this release shows a profound connection with Japanese music or aesthetics, but in each Regan’s sense of specific programmatic or poetic content indicates something of his own Western sensibilities. Quite often, the melodies, harmonies, rhythms, and tendency toward developmental musical processes clearly ally Regan with Western music as well; the gestures are often straightforward, sometimes traditional-sounding, but never simply derivative or unmotivated. My favorite work is In the Night Sky (2010) for shakuhachi, koto, and percussion, which perfectly conveys the huge space, solitude, and mystery of the clear night sky. Another strong work, Voyage (2008), combines shakuhachi with string quartet; Regan uses somber, tonal harmonies and anguished solo passages for the flute to memorialize a former student who died in a car accident that year. Once listeners unaccustomed to Japanese instruments overcome the initial novelty of hearing them, they soon can detect that the combinations of timbres are carefully considered and accomplished with a very particular artistic sensibility. The recording sounds detailed and lively.”

— American Record Guide (Nov/Dec 2012)

“This album features compositions by American composer Marty Regan. Judging by the tracks on this album, you’d never guess Regan is from the United States. Marty composes music specifically written for Japanese instruments and...according to the press release he “...explores the cross-cultural exchange between Eastern and Western traditions, blending the two into a dynamic sound that pushes the Japanese instruments to the very brink of their musical boundaries.” Well we couldn’t have said it better ourselves (!). These intricate well-crafted pieces effectively bridge the gap between the two cultures. Performing on the album are Seizan Sakata, Tetsuya Noazawa, Erina Matsumara, Izumi Fujikawa, Kenji Yamaguchi, Nobuhiro Wakatsuki, Ray Jin, Hitomi Nakamura, Kasue Tajima, Maya Sakai, Yuka Sawade, Shozan Tanabe, Gen Takeuchi, Etsuko Hirano, Saeko Wakiya, Masabumi Sekiguchi, and Akiko Sakura (whew!). Six beautifully executed lengthy tracks...presented in an ultra-cool bilingual package. Beautiful, haunting, tranquil, mesmerizing... TOP PICK.”

— babysue.com (August 2012 reviews)

“The “East meets West” idea has been with us for ages, of course, but in music it is not the norm. A real interpenetration of musical cultures is not always an everyday happenstance. And of course there are degrees of success in the music making situation, as there are processes of exchange between musical cultures that can happen over long periods of time. The music of Marty Regan is something special because he achieves a most interesting synthesis and gives us some very enjoyable music at the same time. His second volume of “Selected Works for Japanese Instruments” is out. (I covered the first volume, Forest Whispers, on my Gapplegate Guitar blog on October 14, 2010.) Magic Mirror (Navona 5876) in many ways begins where the first volume left off. It’s music that uses traditional Japanese instruments like the shakuhachi, shamisen, koto, biwa lute, etc., for a music that has much of Japanese tradition built into it, but also has personal compositional ideas and juxtapositions that have a Western heritage. The most obvious place you’ll hear that is with the piece for four shakuhachi, “flamefox,” or the piece for shakuhachi and string quartet, “Voyage.” In both works Western harmonies and avant/traditional Western classical elements freely intertwine with Japanese musical sensibility. That’s true to some extent throughout the album. And it can be quite subtle, for example with the interjection of long-toned Gagaku sounds with other elements on the title cut. It’s another worthwhile effort from Maestro Regan, a very enjoyable, substantial musical repast. Regan gives us innovative writing that seeks to discover new relations between and within traditions. It succeeds!”

— Grego Applegate Edwards, posted at Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review (July 26, 2012)

“The boundaries breached by Marty Regan are clear ones: those between Western and Japanese music. Regan is deeply imbued with the culture of Japan, has studied with prominent Japanese composer Minoru Miki, and has translated Miki’s book on composing for Japanese instruments. Listening to Regan’s works requires entry into a sound world with which aficionados of Western music generally have little familiarity. The instruments, scales and compositional principles of Japanese music are quite different from those in Western works. The word “exotic” comes to mind, but it is not really the right one, because there is nothing deliberately “exotic” in Regan’s many dozens of compositions for Japanese instruments. Indeed, they are respectful of Japanese musical traditions and appear to have much the same flow as works by composers born and trained in Japan. There are six works on Navona’s new Regan CD: flamefox (2007) for a quartet of shakuhachi (a Japanese flute traditionally made of bamboo); dragoneyes (2006) for shakuhachi, shamisen (a three-stringed instrument somewhat resembling a banjo), and 21-string koto (Japan’s national instrument, which has movable bridges and is plucked); In the Night Sky (2010) for shakuhachi, 21-string koto and percussion; Magic Mirror (2008) for shamisen, hichiriki (a double-reed flute), ryūteki (a bamboo transverse flute), shō (a wind instrument made of bamboo pipes), shinobue (a transverse flute with a high-pitched sound), and shakuhachi; Voyage (2008) for shakuhachi and string quartet; and Devil’s Bridge (2008) for shamisen and biwa (a type of lute). In terms of sound, Magic Mirror, with its subtly different wind instruments, and Voyage, with its juxtaposition of Japanese and Western elements, are particularly interesting. In fact, all the music here stretches Western ears, and 70 minutes of it is rather a lot for a single sitting – listeners interested in experimenting with some unfamiliar sonorities may want to hear the pieces one at a time over a couple of days.”

— transcentury.blogspot.com (July 2012)

“Marty Regan is an American composer who specializes in and cultivates the musical instruments of Japan. The composer says “My compositional work has been focused on expanding and developing the repertoire of contemporary music for traditional Japanese instruments and creating musical works that explore cross-cultural exchange. My musical works are hybrid musical soundscapes that reflect the age in which we live, an era based not necessarily on globalization, but on partnership based on global cultural interaction. This CD is an excellent introduction to Regan’s compositions. Overall, the works strike me as western in some of the rhythms and compositional ideas, while the instruments themselves are uniquely Japanese. The result is a rather unique fusion that creates a vital wall of sound between the stereo speakers that is involving and unique. The first track on the CD is Beyond the Sky for Japanese instruments ensemble. The work, which was originally written as a fanfare has been extended into a lengthier piece. It’s a good listen, and the unconventional instrumentation is absorbing. Next is the String Koto #1, “The Spirit of the Mountains”. It perfectly captures a mountainous terrain with flowing water. Instruments include a 21 and 17 string koto. The following track, Scattering Light, Scattering Flowers, is a work for koto and female soloist. It sounds more traditionally Japanese, as the work pays tribute to 14th-century Japanese vocal traditions. Phoenix captures the sound and mood of the mythical bird with flute and shamisen, a 3-stringed Japanese instrument. The disc ends on a three-movement concerto called “Southern Winds”. The work was composed in Australia, and reflects the diverse weather that was on display when the work was written. There are the sounds of driving winds reflected in the wind instruments, augmented by the shamisen, a 17-string koto and some vocalizations. This was not a CD I expected to like, but in fact I enjoyed the fresh compositional voice from Marty Regan and hearing the sounds of traditional Japanese instruments presented in this new idiom. The recording is excellent, with pinpoint separation of the instruments across a wide soundstage. The recording is a bit dry, but that works very well for the instruments utilized. I think the recording choices made here are an excellent fit for the music.”

— John Sunier, audaud.com (June 2014)

“Beautiful and Exciting Music by Marty Regan - highly recommended by RON BIERMAN ”

“ A few hearings should be enough to convince even skeptics ... Marty Regan: Scattering Light, Scattering Flowers - selected works for Japanese instruments, Vol 3. © 2014 Navona Records LLC

Marty Regan is an Associate Professor of Music at Texas A&M University. He has made an English translation of Minoru Miki’s orchestration manual Composing for Japanese Instruments, and has been associated with the Japanese music ensemble AURA-J for more than a decade. This is the third release in a series of disks devoted to his works for various Japanese instrumental combinations. Most of the pieces are programmatic. They vary greatly in sound and mood, from the cordial Beyond the Sky to the thornier and often more aggressive Scattering Light, Scattering Flowers. The opening and closing pieces are for an ensemble of ten. The instruments and frequent use of pentatonic and other Asian scales often produce colors exotic-sounding to Western listeners. But at times only the instruments are unfamiliar, and the melodies, if taken out of context, are as Western as Asian in feeling. This excerpt is from a piece for a quartet of plucked and strummed instruments. Scattering Light, Scattering Flowers is a short opera for a single voice accompanied by a twenty- five-string koto and the flute-like Shakuhachi. It tells the story of a once vibrantly alive prince and his now ruined castle. In the work’s frantic final moments the prince is ‘dancing and the dance makes him dance’. Soprano Mika Kimula uses the wide, fairly rapid vibrato of Noh singers. The Western flute takes center stage in Phoenix, accompanied by a shamisen, a plucked string instrument. The ensemble of ten returns for the final work, a piece for Shakuhachi soloist, closer to what we usually think of as a concerto than the koto concerto performed earlier. It is longer, there are three clearly defined movements (fast, slow, fast), and substantial interplay between the soloist and a larger ensemble. The introduction sets the stage and introduces melodic elements which reappear often throughout the piece. The soloist has a beautiful passage near the opening of the slow movement. It rephrases the most attractive melody from the first movement. Excitement returns for the final movement, which builds to a satisfying climax. Listeners tend to like what sounds familiar to them. Different scales, instruments seldom played in the West, and that wildly wide vibrato may be off-putting to some. But if so, give it a chance. A few hearings should be enough to convince even skeptics that Marty Regan is using those exotic elements to create beautiful and exciting music. Highly recommended. ”

(review reproduced with permission - Copyright © 2nd October 2014 Ron Bierman, San Diego, USA)

— Ron Bierman (October 2014)

Since 2000, Marty Regan, currently an Associate Professor of Music at Texas A&M University, has been garnering attention for creating music for traditional Japanese instruments, and his deep engagement with Japanese culture is evident in a couple of ways on the seventy-minute collection Splash of Indigo. It’s evidenced, for example, in its source of text for “Three Poems by Tanikawa Shuntaro” and in aspects of Japanese folk music that subtly weave their way into the album material. That being said, Splash of Indigo generally shies away from that dimension of Regan’s compositional approach to instead present works in style and arrangement that hew generally to the Western classical tradition.

Interestingly, the album, which includes pieces recorded during 2015-16 and spanning an eighteen-year period, is also Regan’s first release featuring his works for Western orchestral instruments and voice, arriving as it does after the release of three Navona Records CDs issued under the “Selected Works for Japanese Instruments” series title. The American composer is clearly no dilettante dabbling in other cultures and pilfering from their artistic traditions. Splash of Indigo is also marked by diversity in its presentation, with works scored for solo piano, trio, string quartet, and orchestra featured.

A good illustration of the album’s style is the 2012 solo piano setting “Riding through Misty Clouds,” which even in its title hints at that Japanese connection without locating it exclusively within a specific locale. Performed with great élan by Brendan Kinsella, the six-minute piece effectively conjures the experience of a traveler whose untethered thoughts drift as the plane gracefully glides above the clouds.

Whereas Regan’s works for traditional Japanese instruments are often understated in tone, a few of the pieces on Splash of Indigo are exuberant and brash, none more so than 2005’s “Overdrive.” Inviting comparison in its rhythmic charge to ‘80s works by John Adams, Regan’s piece, performed by the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, exemplifies the same rambunctious spirit that energizes his American counterpart’s “Short Ride in a Fast Machine” and “The Chairman Dances.” In keeping with its title and as performed by Trio Xia, 2004’s Balinese gamelan-inspired “Runaway Train” is an ever-restless study in perpetual motion. Lyrical and ruminative by comparison are Regan’s personal response to 9-11, “Two Movements for Violin and Piano,” even if the work, as realized by violinist Chloé Trevor and pianist Kinsella also has its share of intense episodes (the second movement especially), and 2002’s “Three Poems by Tanikawa Shuntaro,” rendered with delicacy by soprano Julia Fox and pianist Andrea Imhoff.

A definite album highlight is the Apollo Chamber Players’ rendering of the 2014 title track, which in its Impressionistic tone and style could be seen as a sibling to Ravel’s and Debussy’s string quartets (even if “Splash of Indigo” is a single-movement work). Much as they did with the material on their own 2016 release Blurred Boundaries, the Apollo Chamber Players elevates Regan’s piece with an impassioned performance rich in sensuality and conviction.

With so many different instrumental groupings and musicians involved, the release does tend to lose a little bit by way of cohesiveness, something exacerbated too by the influences that seem to surface in a couple of pieces. Yet there’s no denying that Splash of Indigo presents a strong argument for Regan’s compositional range and his command of chamber and ensemble orchestration.

December 2016

— textura

La musica del compositore Marty Regan si nutre delle influenze più disparate. Anzitutto, quelle orientali, di cui è tra i più profondi conoscitori: dagli “interlocking patterns” tipici della musica indonesiana per gamelan, alle melodie e alle scale pentatoniche della musica giapponese. La presenza di questi ed altri elementi è tuttavia insieme introiettata e filtrata nella sensibilità del compositore, che la piega ai propri fini espressivi e alle proprie ispirazioni, che sono tra le più disparate: da suggestioni paesaggistiche a meditazioni sul terrorismo, da versi inneggianti all’amore e alla natura al design giapponese. L’autore attinge anche ad altre fonti, come il jazz, il minimalismo e l’impressionismo (evidenti i riferimenti a Ravel nel quartetto d’archi che dà il titolo alla raccolta), amalgamandole in modo armonico e limpido, in cui raffinatezza armonica, melodiosità distesa e fresca, fluidità e verve ritmica sono le cifre distintive. Si tratta del primo volume dedicato alle composizioni di Regan: siamo già curiosi e vogliosi di scoprire i successivi capitoli.

The music of the composer Marty Regan feeds off many influences. Firstly, those influences from the East, amongst the most significant being the “interlocking patterns” typical of Indonesian gamelan music and the melodies and pentatonic scales of Japanese music. The presence of these and other elements, interjected and filtered through the composer’s sensitivity, bend to their expressive purposes and their own inspirations, are quite diverse; from landscape depictions to meditations on terrorism and poems praising love and nature. The composer also draws on other sources, such as jazz, minimalism, and impressionism (obvious references to the Ravel string quartet in the title track). These blend in a harmonious and clear manner in which harmonic sophistication, lyrical melodies, and engaging rhythms are distinctive features. This is the first volume dedicated to the compositions of Regan. We are already curious and eager to discover any subsequent releases. (translation into English of the original review in Italian)

— Kathodik

Feinfühliger amerikanischer Komponist [Sensitive American composer]

Marty Regan: Riding through Misty Clouds, Two Movements for Violin and Piano, Overdrive, Runaway Train, Three Poems by Tanikawa Shuntaro, Splash of Indigo; Chloé Trevor, violin; Brendan Kinsella, Klavier, Trio Xia, Julia Fox, Soprano, Andrea Imhoff, Klavier, Apollo Chamber Players, Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, Petr Vronsky; 1 CD Navona Records NV6064; Aufnahmen/Recordings 2014/2015, Veröffentlichung/publication 11/2016 (70’) – Rezension/Review von/by Remy Franck

Der amerikanische Komponist Marty Regan ist ein Spezialist der Musik für traditionelle japanische Instrumente. Diese CD bringt jedoch Musik für westliche Instrumente zu Gehör. Dennoch bleibt das Japanische nicht außen vor, denn die ‘Three Poems by Tanikawa Shuntaro’ setzen nicht nur japanische Texte in Musik, sondern man findet hier auch Anklänge an japanische Volksmusik.

The American composer Marty Regan is a specialist in music for traditional Japanese instruments. This CD, however, presents music for Western instruments. Nevertheless, Japanese music is not excluded, since “Three Poems by Tanikawa Shuntaro” not only puts Japanese lyrics to music, but also there is a touch of Japanese folk music.

Das Klavier ist zwar sehr wichtig in diesen Stücken, aber ich frage mich, ob in dieser Aufnahme das Vokale nicht über weite Strecken benachteiligt wird, wenngleich die Stimme von Julia Fox nicht wirklich attraktiv ist und viel an Reinheit und Jugendlichkeit vermissen lässt.

The piano is very important in these pieces, but I wonder whether the vocals in this recording are not disadvantaged over long stretches, although the voice of Julia Fox is not really attractive and leaves a lot of purity and youthfulness missing.

Regans Klavierstück ‘Riding through Misty Clouds’ erweist sich als hoch virtuoses Stück mit einem lyrischen Mittelteil, während ‘Overdrive’ ein gut gelauntes, zum Teil extrem virtuoses und sehr farbiges Orchesterstück ist.

Regan’s piano piece ‘Riding through Misty Clouds’ proves to be a highly virtuosic piece with a lyrical middle part, while ‘Overdrive’ is a good-humored, sometimes extremely virtuosic and very colorful orchestral piece.

Wie bei vielen anderen amerikanischen Komponisten hat 9/11 auch bei Regan ein Werk ausgelöst. Die ‘Two Movements for Violin and Piano’ bezeichnet er als seine Antwort auf die Tragödie. Der erste Satz steigert sich in einer dialektischen Auseinandersetzung von Fatum und Unschuld bis zum kataklastischen Höhepunkt mit anschließendem ‘Heilungsprozess’. Der zweite Satz ist ein infernales Perpetuum Moto, viel nervöser und hektischer allerdings als jenes des anschließenden, verspielteren Trios ‘Runaway Train’.

As with many other American composers, 9/11 has also inspired a work from Regan. He calls the ‘Two Movements for Violin and Piano‘’ his response to tragedy. The first movement increases in a dialectical confrontation of fate and innocence to the cataclastic climax followed by a ‘healing process’. The second movement is an infernal perpetuum moto, much more nervous and hectic than that of the subsequent, more playful trio ‘Runaway Train’.

Regan, der an der ‘Texas A&M University’ unterrichtet, bezeichnet sein Werk ‘Indigo Splash’ als einen Versuch, japanische Volksmusik und französischen Impressionismus durch ein amerikanisches Auge zu betrachten. Das Stück wird von den ‘Apollo Chamber Players’ souverän und ausdrucksvoll gespielt.

Regan, who teaches at the ‘Texas A&M University’, describes his work ‘Splash of Indigo’ as ​​an attempt to view Japanese folk music and French impressionism through an American eye. The piece is played by the ‘Apollo Chamber Players’ in a sovereign and expressive way.

Und so ist denn diese Navona-CD ein willkommenes musikalisches Porträt eines feinfühligen amerikanischen Komponisten, der sich den avantgardistischen Zwängen nicht unterwirft und eine direkt erfassbare und aussagekräftige, oft deskriptive Musik schreibt.

And so this Navona CD is a welcome musical portrait of a sensitive American composer who does not submit to avant-garde constraints and writes directly comprehensible, meaningful and often descriptive music.

Splash of Indigo is a valuable musical portrait of American composer Marty Regan. His inspired music, atmospheric and narrative, is often rhythmically-driven but does not lack lyrical passages. He clearly sees his roots in music currents from the first half of the 20th century.

— pizzicato

Splashes of Impresssionism: Music of Marty Regan

Composer Marty Regan may be known to some for his translation of a text on Japanese instruments and orchestration. His own music tends to combine a bit of Eastern sensibility with contemporary Western art music. This can be heard in this new Navona collection that pulls together mostly chamber works from across the past couple of decades. There are works here for piano, a duo with violin and piano, a trio, song-cycle, quartet, and even a brief orchestral work.

First up is a beautiful work for piano, Riding Through Misty Clouds (2012). Inspired by the composer’s own musings of flying through clouds, the piece has an almost impressionistic quality. The opening features a variety of fast passage work and great energy as it moves forward. This is interrupted by a more chordal reflective section before returning to the opening material. The work is followed by an equally brief work for orchestra, Overdrive (2005). A brilliant fanfare, the music has a post-minimalist John Adams quality with gorgeous harmonic writing and wonderful orchestration and color (think Short Ride in a Fast Machine).

The remainder of the album focuses on chamber works. Two Movements for Violin and Piano (2005) grew out of Regan’s need to artistically respond to the events of 9-11. The opening movement focuses on two ideas that represent fate and innocence, according to the composer. The latter of these is centered around a pentatonic theme which has an almost Asian melodic quality. The former appears as the work moves to a dark march idea exploring the form of a passacaglia that sort of unravels. The central portion is quite intense and the final bars have a jazz-like smoky quality harmonically against the high violin thematic expression. The second movement is a hybrid of musical styles and genres that come together to lift up the many possible avenues to lift the human spirit and provide hope. The music here returns with great forward momentum and excitement.

Commissioned by Trio Xia, Runaway Train (2004) is the first of these more overtly influenced pieces inspired by Asian musical styles. Here the composer notes his exposure to Balinese and Javanese gamelan music with the idea of two melodic ideas that interlock. This is a sort of perpetual motion idea that parallels that heard earlier in the disc’s orchestral work. The thematic threads are more traditional with the concept of how the gamelan form being applied to more contemporary compositional style. The work would make for a fine encore number with excellent dialogue writing between flute and cello while the piano creates an ongoing forward thrust.

The previous work sets the tone for a 2002 song cycle utilizing the poetry of Tanikawa Shuntaro, a beloved contemporary Japanese poet whose work is often intended for children. The poems here explore themes of love, play, and nature. Texts for each poem are included here in the ample booklet which is a welcome touch. Most noticeable is the almost jazz like reflective style of the piano in the opening moments here, something hinted at in the earlier pieces on the album. It has to do with these expansive harmonies that lend the music this quality. The vocal line is a gorgeous florid and lyrical setting of the text, striking by the language itself for Western ears. At 20 minutes, this is the most substantial work on the album, buoyed by the extensive first setting here, “Kiss.”

Splash of Indigo (2014) closes off the album. Performed by the Apollo Chamber Players, it brings the connections in Regan’s music of Asian, here Japanese, folk music, with the sort of Impressionist inflections heard at the start of the album and throughout. Once again, a couple of thematic threads are used to provide continuity through the composition which tends to also feature these moving dreamscape lines and inflections of different Japanese musical styles. It is a unique hybrid and makes for a fitting conclusion.

Out of many of Navona’s releases, this collection of music sampling Marty Regan’s work really stands out. The art work and design perfectly matches the sensibility of the composer’s aesthetic, while the excellent notes help guide the listener through each work. Sound is balanced well and equalized so that one is not needing to adjust too much from one piece to the next, though the orchestra track feels as if it could come up just a bit. Marty Regan’s music is quite accessible and, like other new music releases from Navona, the sequencing of the album helps to gradually move from the most accessible pieces to the more intense and back again. With its blend of impressionism and Asian sensibility, this composition recital is worth checking out.

— Cinemusical

Die Vielseitigkeit des zeitgenössischen, US-amerikanischen Komponisten Marty Regan (Geb. 1972) zeigt sich auf dieser CD besonders deutlich.

The versatility of the contemporary American composer Marty Regan (born in 1972) is particularly evident on this CD.

Bei Riding through misty clouds (2012) offenbaren sich eher sphärische Klänge die von Brendon Kinsella am Klavier transparent und differenziert umgesetzt werden.

Riding through misty clouds (2012) reveals rather spherical sounds that Brendon Kinsella uses on the piano in a transparent and differentiated way.

Das Werk Overdrive (2005 ) gespielt vom Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra unter der Leitung von Petr Vronsky, offenbart ein romantisches Klangbild und ist eher der amerikanischen modernen Klassik nahestehend.

Overdrive (2005), performed by the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Petr Vronsky, reveals a romantic soundscape and is closer to American modern classical music.

Die Two Movements for Violin (Chloé Trevor) und Piano (Brendon Kinsella / 2005) offenbaren ein eher modern anmutendes Klangbild: sehr virtuos und man meint, sich stellenweise an die Salonmusik im „Wilden Westen“ erinnert zu fühlen, nur eben aus dem Blickwinkel der europäischen klassischen Moderne.

The Two Movements for Violin (Chloe Trevor) and Piano (Brendon Kinsella / 2005) reveal a more modern sounding picture: very virtuoso and one feels, in places, reminiscent of salon music in the “Wild West”, from the viewing angle of European classical modernism.

Ein raues, teilweise auch etwas ruppig anmutendes Klangbild werden hier von der Violine und dem Klavier geformt.

A rough, partly also somewhat rudely pleasing sound is formed here by the violin and the piano.

Beim Runaway train (Trio Xia = Frederick Lau-Flöte, I Bei Lin-Violoncello, Tommy Yee-Klavier / 2004) wird dem Zuhörer wiederum ein Klangbild nähergebracht, das an die Melodik der amerikanischen Moderne erinnert.

In the Runaway train (Trio Xia = Frederick Lau:flute, I Bei Lin:violoncello, Tommy Yee:piano / 2004), the listener is again presented with a sound picture reminiscent of the melody of American modernism.

Die Three Poems by Tanikowa Shuntaro (2002) mit der Sopranistin Julia Fox und der Pianistin Andrea Imhoff muten überaus modern an, eher etwas disharmonisch, stellenweise expressiv, wobei die Stimme der Künstlerin etwas angeraut klingt.

Three Poems by Tanikawa Shuntaro (2002) with soprano Julia Fox and pianist Andrea Imhoff seem very modern, rather discreet, expressive in places, in which the voice of the artist sounds somewhat roughened.

Das Klavier klingt da schon melodischer und ist in sich von der Melodiebewegung her, eher flüssig.

The piano sounds more melodic and is in itself from the melody movement, rather flowing.

Bei der letzten Komposition, die der CD auch ihren Namen gab, Splash of Indigo (Matt Detrick-Violine, Anabel Ramirez-Violine, Whitney Bullock-Viola, Matthew dudzik-Violoncello / 2014), haben wir es mit einem modernen Klangbild zu tun, das etwas weniger harmonisch anmutet.

In the last composition, which gives the CD its name, Splash of Indigo (Matt Detrick:violin, Anabel Ramirez:violin, Whitney Bullock:viola, Matthew Dudzik:violincello / 2014), we are dealing with a modern sound image, which seems slightly less harmonious.

Dennoch, eine CD, die nicht nur Freunde moderner Klassik interessieren könnte, interessieren könnte.

Nevertheless, a CD, which might interest not only friends of modern classical music, might be interesting.

— SvensOpernParadies

“Marty Regan’s Splash of Indigo also explores an intersection between Japanese folk music and French impressionism. A highly effective piece, it is full of delicate textures and again rather modal.”

— Robert Hugill (June 2016)

“ Blurred Boundaries’ three commissions, which come from American composer Libby Larsen (Sorrow Song and Jubilee, 2014), Marty Regan (Splash of Indigo, 2014), and Turkish composer Erberk Eryilmaz (Thracian Airs of Besime Sultan, 2015), appear alongside premiere recordings of works by Henry T. Burleigh (Plantation Melodies, Old and New, 1901), Florence Beatrice Price (Five Folksongs in Counterpoint, 1951), and Hajime Komatsu (Four Japanese Folksongs, 1996). As the titles indicate, the set-list is heavily centered on folk material from different cultures, which in turn makes for an engaging recording rich in melody and variety. Enhancing the accessibility of the release are Price’s affectionate renderings of the familiar songs “Clementine,” “Shortnin’ Bread,” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” and the emotional dimension of the recording is also understandably boosted by the incorporation of ballads and spirituals.

On Sorrow Song and Jubilee, Larsen deftly draws a connecting line between African-American spirituals, traces of which recognizably emerge within the compositional framework, and Antonin Dvorák. The plaintive character of Burleigh’s Plantation Melodies, Old and New makes it one of the recording’s most endearing pieces; it would be a cold heart indeed, for example, that could remain untouched by its opening part “Negro Lullaby” or, for that matter, Price’s “Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes.” Venturing overseas, the recording travels from the American South to the Balkans for Eryilmaz’s dance-driven Thracian Airs of Besime Sultan, on which the quartet is joined by clarinetist Ismail Lumanovski, bassist Timothy Pitts, and percussionist Matthew McClung, and to the Far East for Komatsu’s Four Japanese Folk Songs. At album’s end, one might be reminded of Debussy’s and Ravel’s string quartets as Regan’s rhapsodic tone poem fills the air for an aromatic twelve minutes. Without any compromise to its classical bona fides, Apollo Chamber Players accomplishes something rather special on the seventy-minute collection: Blurred Boundaries not only promotes the value in the creation of new works, it does so forcefully by featuring melody-rich pieces that provide ample listening pleasure. ”

— textura review website (August 2016)

“Blurred Boundaries is an interesting collection of mostly contemporary chamber music with musical materials inspired or drawn from folk music. Three of the works are part of Apollo Chamber Player’s “20 x 2020” commissioning project in which they hope to explore a number of ways music can be influenced by a variety of cultural traditions. The first three of these appear on this release composed by Libby Larsen, Marty Regan, and Erberk Erilmaz.

Libby Larsen’s Sorrow Song and Jubilee is a brief work that explores the opening melodic line of “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”. The phrase is sent through a few permutations across the ensemble gradually growing more agitated as it enters its final bars. Marty Regan’s Splash of Indigo closes off the disc and explores Asian inflections within a more impressionist style in a string quartet setting that features a moving central section. The newest of the commissions is the Thracian Airs of Besime Sultan by Erberk Eryilmaz. It focuses on music from and around this geographic region that encompasses Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, and Turkey in an inter-connected 6-movement work that has some interesting dance rhythms and meter shifts along with an ethnic-tinged clarinet idea and percussion as well as vocalizations.

The Apollo group has put together an arrangement of two Plantation Melodies by Henry Thacker Burleigh from 1901. The opening “Negro Lullaby” is a gentle lyric idea with interesting lilting waltz-like moments in an otherwise touching, yet quaint piece. The pave picks up with the rhythmical and dance like “An Ante-Bellum Sermon.” The music has a somewhat Dvorak-Delius feel at times. Florence Beatrice Price’s Five Folksongs in Counterpoint (1951) explores more of what Dvorak had encouraged young American composers to do in its adaptation of very familiar folk songs. It is one of a couple string quartets Price wrote based on American folk music in a mostly Romantic style. This is a premiere recording of the work along with that of Hajime Komatsu’s 1996 suite of Four Japanese Folk Songs for string quartet. It is quite interesting to hear these different cultural folk expressions in close proximity to one another.

Blurred Boundaries features just enough familiar musical ideas that most will find the release quite accessible. The music itself provides often interesting windows into contemporary approaches to string quartet writing with a bit of percussion of clarinet added for slight variety (in the more modernist work of Eryilmaz). The sound is rather warm and inviting and the performances are equally committed. The result is a fascinating blend of chamber music. ”

— maestrosteve website (2016)

“The performances by the Apollo Chamber Players on a new Navona release called Blurred Boundaries are quite fine as well. Here the cello, played by Matthew Dudzik, is the anchor instrument of an ensemble that is basically a string quartet (with Matthew J. Detrick and Anabel Ramirez on violins and Whitney Bullock on viola), supplemented as needed by clarinet (Ismail Lumanovski), bass (Timothy Pitts) and percussion (Matthew McClung). The underpinning of this CD is somewhat like that of Sephardic Journey. Here the intent is to commission 20 new works inspired by folk music by the end of this decade – the initiative is called “20x2020.” Three of those pieces are heard here: Sorrow Song and Jubilee (2014) by Libby Larsen, Splash of Indigo (2014) by Marty Regan, and Thracian Airs of Besime Sultan (2015) by Erberk Eryilmaz. The first of these recalls Dvořák’s interest in African-American spirituals; the second rather oddly combines elements of Japanese folk music with French impressionism; the third effectively mixes music of the Roma (gypsies) with Balkan tunes. Also here are three older works, the oldest being Plantation Melodies, Old and New (1901) by Henry Thacker Burleigh, arranged by the Apollo Chamber Players and sounding more emotionally convincing than most of the newer, more-intellectual pieces. The CD also includes Five Folksongs in Counterpoint (1951) by Florence Beatrice Price, whose arrangements are more than enough to show all five of the familiar tunes in a new light: “Calvary,” “Clementine,” “Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes,” “Shortnin’ Bread” (featuring some fine fiddling) and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” (where the songful cello is a highlight). Finally, there is Four Japanese Folk Songs (Suite No. 2) (1996) by Hajime Komatsu, a work that shows both what is similar in folk music from different parts of the world and what is different. This CD will be of special interest to devotees of folk music in a classical setting – perhaps not a large group, but one that will find much to enjoy here. ”

— transcentury

“ La musica contenuta in questo eccezionale CD è la chiara dimostrazione di quanto le melodie folkloristiche e popolari abbiano ispirato la musica classica, in particolare dalla fine dell’800 in poi, e di quanto esse possano ancora stimolare la creatività dei compositori anche in avvenire. Gli Apollo Chamber Players costituiscono un’organizzazione non-profit che esplora le influenze della cultura popolare e della musica folkloristica nella musica classica, contemporanea e non. Il loro interessantissimo progetto denominato 20×2020, (ovvero la commissione ed esecuzione di 20 nuove composizioni musicali ispirate alla musica folokloristica sino al 2020) prende forma in questo CD attraverso splendide esecuzioni, ricche di freschezza ritmica, precisione esecutiva, virtuosismo e chiarezza timbrica. Le sei opere, tre di autori contemporanei, nuove commissioni facenti parte del progetto 20×2020, si alternano ad altre tre, storicamente precedenti, ma tutte incise per la prima volta.

The music contained in this exceptional CD is a clear demonstration of how much folkloric and popular melodies have inspired classical music, in particular from the end of the 19th century onwards, and how much they can still stimulate the creativity of composers even in the future. The Apollo Chamber Players are a non-profit organization that explores the influences of popular culture and folk music in classical, contemporary and non-contemporary music. Their very interesting project called 20 × 2020, (i.e. the commission and execution of 20 new musical compositions inspired by folk music until 2020) takes shape on this CD through splendid performances, rich in rhythmic freshness, executive precision, virtuosity and timbre clarity. The six works, three by contemporary authors, new commissions that are part of the 20 × 2020 project, alternate with three others, historically previous, but all recorded for the first time.

Riguardo le prime Libby Larsen con la Sorrow Song and Jubilee rilegge in chiave contemporanea le melodie degli spirituals Afro-Americani, mentre Erberk Eryilmaz con la spettacolare Thracian Airs of Besime Sultan, traccia una sorta di geografia musicale delle splendide melodie di quell’area geografica che storicamente comprendeva la parte nord est della Grecia, la zona sud della Bulgaria e la Turchia europea affacciata sul Mar di Marmara. Accompagnato dal clarinetto, dalle percussioni e dal basso, il quartetto d’archi affronta con grande maestria una musica difficile soprattutto per i ritmi irregolari che ne caratterizzano la struttura. Infine Marty Regan con la sua Splash of Indigo indaga sapientemente i rapporti tra la musica folkloristica giapponese e lo stile impressionista francese. Di grande impatto le interpretazioni delle altre tre composizioni che completano il cd, fra le quali spiccano i Five Folksongs in Counterpoint di Florence Beatrice Price, delicate e intelligenti rivisitazioni di musiche popolari americane e le Four Japanes Folk Songs di Hajime Komatsu, sua seconda interessante suite ispirata a melodie giapponesi. ”

Regarding the first Libby Larsen with the Sorrow Song and Jubilee reinterprets the melodies of African-American spirituals in a contemporary key, while Erberk Eryilmaz with the spectacular Thracian Airs of Besime Sultan, traces a sort of musical geography of the splendid melodies of that geographical area that historically it included the north-eastern part of Greece, the southern part of Bulgaria and European Turkey overlooking the Sea of ​​Marmara. Accompanied by the clarinet, percussion and bass, the string quartet tackles difficult music with great skill, especially due to the irregular rhythms that characterize its structure. Finally Marty Regan with his Splash of Indigo wisely investigates the relationship between Japanese folk music and the French impressionist style. The interpretations of the other three compositions that complete the cd are of great impact, among which the Five Folksongs in Counterpoint by Florence Beatrice Price, delicate and intelligent reinterpretations of American popular music and the Four Japanes Folk Songs by Hajime Komatsu, her second interesting suite, stand out. inspired by Japanese melodies.

(translation into engish by machine)

— kathodik

Review of the première of “The Memory Stone,” from broadwayworld.com (April 10, 2013):

“ Houston Grand Opera (HGO)’s 50th World Première opera had its first public performance last night at Asia Society Texas Center. This enchanting chamber opera is a gorgeous and stirring piece that examines the power and necessity of memory for the advancement of the human species. It opens with rollicking thunder and a stunning, breathtaking image that is representative of the destruction of Japan wake of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. As a woman sings about various terrible and destructive moments from Japan’s rich history, the scene shifts to the tea room in Houston’s Japanese garden. Here the non-linear opera explores how such tragedies affect Japanese-Americans and immigrants from Japan, deftly playing on the emotions, sympathy, and empathy of the assembled audience. The compelling opera elicited several gasps of sorrow, pain, and understanding from the opening night audience as the beauty of the piece spoke to our hearts, minds, and souls.

Marty Regan’s score intertwines Western notions of music with traditional Japanese stylings to create a sound that is wholly familiar and unique at the same time. His string quartet plays with a fervor and urgency that is reminiscent of Philip Glass’s compositions. This frenetic quality is mirrored in Yumi Kurosawa’s melodic, driving, and stunning playing of the 21-string koto, which really enhances the audience’s response and further draws us into the majesty of the piece. On top of the undulating motion of the strings, Marty Regan adds in (and for last night’s performance played) the plaintive and elegiac shakuhachi. Marty Regan’s balanced and emotive instrumentation perfectly matches the emotional intensity the written libretto, ensuring that the audience viscerally feels every moment of the 45 minute chamber opera.

The gripping libretto is skillfully written by Kenny Fries. His lyrics are profound and poignant, moving the audience through various emotions with ease. The opera is performed in English, and Kenny Fries shows a mastery of the language, picking words with precision to wholly and completely affect the audience at both an emotional and spiritual level. As he explores the themes of memory and transcending tragedy Kenny Fries libretto causes the audience to escape our current conditions and personally experience the emotions, pain, and triumphs of his cast of characters.

Direction by Matthew Ozawa pristinely captures every element of Marty Regan’s score and Kenny Fries’ libretto, bringing the opera to remarkably salient life. He directs his cast with masterful accuracy to guarantee that every moment resonates within the audience, imparting us with a generous gift of memory. Namely, the memory of seeing such a moving performance and reviving our own memories of significant natural disasters and other major catastrophes from our own perspectives, our own lives.

Making her HGO debut as The Woman, Nina Yoshida Nelsen guides the audience through a journey of devastation and destruction that transforms before our eyes into sublime hope and compassion. Her mezzo-soprano voice is haunting and captivating. Nina Oshida Nelsen magically invades the heart and soul as she deftly sings through the mesmerizing score.

With a powerful and gorgeous soprano voice, Ji Hyun Jang sings Rei with fantastic control and emotionality. Her soprano voice sparkles with a youthful radiance, imbuing Rei with charismatic liveliness and spirit.

Takaoki Onishi sings The Man with an incredibly grandiose and regal baritone voice. He adeptly commands attention every time his mouth opens, bringing glimmering pizzazz to his stupendous performance.

The star of the evening is Mihoko Kinoshita’s elegant and pristine soprano voice, as she thrillingly sings Hana. Each note is rendered with poise and dexterous exactitude, providing the audience with emotional depth, palpable weight, and insightful clarity in each and every phrase. Her soprano instrument is luxurious and elegant, entrancing and exhilarating. Mihoko Kinoshita’s astonishing, priceless, and keen talent makes ardent and earnest Hana the most relatable character. She thoughtfully and deeply impresses upon our hearts, minds, and souls throughout the performance. Her anguish is tangible, her desires heartrending. Mihoko Kinoshita’s Hana is simply spellbinding, spectacular, and immaculately performed.

Scenic Design by Libbie Masterson is simplistic but detailed. She employs flats on casters set at right angles to form the tea house in Houston’s Japanese garden. Each angle is rolled away and manipulated throughout the performance by the cast to shift location and create a different and beautiful backdrop for the performance. In conceit, this element sounds distracting, but it is not. Instead it adds a timeless and placeless quality to the performance and makes it all the more magical and riveting.

Lighting Design by Michael Mullins perfectly uses colorful palates and the upstage cyclorama, which is black in this production, to heighten mood and tone. He blends and adjusts colors with clever expertise, adding to the picturesque and simplistically stated imagery of the performance.

Costume Design by Clair Hummel is surprisingly versatile. With the rolling of a sleeve or unzipping a zipper, costumes can transform before the audience’s eyes. This aids in never allowing a moment in the opera to drag and creates a seamless transition between Houston and Japan. The adaptability and resourcefulness of the design is miraculous and delightful. Then her final costume change for The Woman and The Man, which I won’t go into detail about, so as not to ruin the surprise, is moving, alluring, evocative, emotive, awe-inspiring, and astounding. Honestly, there may not be enough superlatives for how affecting and amazing it is, especially in combination with the staging and lighting. ”

Marty Regan, an associate professor of music at Texas A&M, has seen his music performed often lately in Houston, including commissions for 2014 MasterMind Award winners the Apollo Chamber Players. An upcoming concert showcases the diversity of his music, which takes many elements from traditional Japanese musical culture and folds them into a contemporary style. Aperio, Music of the Americas presents Silences: Japanese Inspiration in the Music of Marty Regan in conjunction with the Apollo Chamber Players and Asia Society Texas.

The Japanese instruments featured in this concert are the koto (a kind of lute), the shamisen (a three-stringed instrument resembling a guitar) and the shakuhachi (a blown-end flute). “Marty has used these pieces to show music of many different cultures played on these instruments. One piece is written for koto but draws upon the musical materials of the Middle East,” said Michael Zuraw, president and artistic director of Aperio. “He’s trying to connect the two ends of the Silk Road through this composition. It’s an interesting way to bend the two cultures together.”

Zuraw also plays piano in the Aperio ensemble, and admires Regan’s writing for that instrument as well. “There’s a certain style of ornamental writing that strikes me as evocative of the music of Japan. That’s very evident in our commission, “Silence,” a setting of a poem by Tanikawa Shuntaro. The piano writing in that piece is very atmospheric and rather lightly scored because of the delicacy of the Japanese instruments,” Zuraw said. “Another composer might be more heavy-handed with the Western instruments, but Marty’s sensibility comes from his intimate knowledge of these instruments. The piano writing is written with that in mind.”

Regan spent a good amount of time in Japan studying music and traditional instruments, which has not only enabled him to write music for these instruments very successfully, but has allowed him to engage with the Japanese language in a way that makes his settings of Japanese lyrics sensitive to the natural stresses and rhythms of the language. This advantage is one that few composers of Western classical music can claim. This large collaborative effort is one more benefit of life in an arts-rich city that has many outstanding venues, such as the Asia Society Texas Center. “It’s such an elegant space. In every way, this program is very fitting for that environment,” Zuraw said. “It’s great to be able to give the opportunity for music like this to be heard; it’s the phenomenon of everyone being here in Houston. It’s a happy intersection of so many factors.”

— Alexandra Doyle for Houston Press

The final weeks of the concert season have brought some massive musical canvases, such as Richard Wagner’s Die Walkuere and Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 3, so Aperio‘s “Silences” program offered a refreshing reminder that vignettes have power, too. Marty Regan‘s chamber works, putting Western and Japanese instruments side-by-side, painted compelling pictures with a few sonic brush-strokes.

Take one of the most limpid works: Frolicking with the Birds, a duo for cello and Japan’s plucked-string koto. Despite coming from different parts of the world, the two instruments joined voices neatly: The koto’s airy, sometimes harp-like tone colors complemented the cello’s fuller sounds, helping the music’s vaulting, sailing lines create their tone painting. The cello’s heft gave the main theme’s upward surge an aura of bursting free of earth’s bounds; from the koto, the same theme seemed aloft from the start.

Asian culture has fascinated Regan, a Texas A&M faculty member, since his youth. As a college student, he majored in music and Asian studies in tandem. Over the past 15 years, he has shuttled across the Pacific studying Japan’s traditional music and instruments, and he has incorporated Japanese influences in more than 60 works. In 2013, Houston Grand Opera’s HGOco subsidiary premiered Regan’s The Memory Stone, a chamber opera whose story unfolds among Houston Japanese-Americans.

Aperio’s May 14 program, presented in tandem with the Asia Society Texas Center, returned Regan and his music to the center’s theater, where The Memory Stone premiered. Though most of the works included Japanese instruments – the recorder-like shakuhachi, plucked-string koto or banjo-like shamisen – the concert’s subtitle, “Japanese Inspiration in the Music of Marty Regan,” only began to suggest the influences at play.

Regan drew on an Arabic scale in Magam, a virtuoso flight for solo shamisen. Splash of Indigo, a string quartet commissioned and performed by the Apollo Chamber Players, in part paid homage to French music, especially in the main theme’s kinship with that of Maurice Ravel’s Quartet. The elegy In Remembrance…looked back at the 9-11 attacks on Regan’s homeland. In Remembrance…, the concert’s opener, combined Western piano trio with shakuhachi, played by Regan. The shakuhachi alone intoned a theme whose simple start, just a couple of downward steps, established the pensive mood immediately; as the solo unfolded from there, free and unhurried, the introspection grew richer.

The strings took up the theme in turn, adding sweetness and gleam, and the piano’s gentle chords supplied a poignant harmonic foundation. Even when In Remembrance…grew agitated, it never veered into histrionics. Regan shaped the shakuhachi solos with conviction, though his playing sometimes sounded labored, while the music gained more of the subtlety it needed from pianist Michael Zuraw, violinist Andres Gonzalez and cellist Shino Hayashi.

Hayashi and Yoko Reikanō Kimura, playing the koto, gave buoyancy and brightness to Frolicking with the Birds. The bustling fastpass!, inspired by the sensory overload of Walt Disney World, paired the jangle and breeziness of the shamisen with the thunking accents of two small drums. Kimura and percussionist Craig Hauschildt launched into the music vigorously, yet they also gave the quieter moments a light touch.

Kimura made the shamisen solo Magam sound like she was improvising it: Whether she was zipping through the energetic sections or tossing off the glissandi that make lyrical phrases sound like they’re floating off into the air, Kimura fit every moment into a natural flow. The Apollo Chamber Players, in a cameo appearance, spun out Splash of Indigo sleekly.

To close the concert, soprano Yuri Maria Saenz joined the non-Apollo musicians in the premiere of Regan’s Silence, an Aperio commission based on a poem by Japan’s Shuntaro Tanikawa. The high, long-breathed soprano part set an ethereal tone that the instrumental group shared. The atmosphere suited the enigmatic poem about trying to share insight that one may not possess, which concludes:

— Steven Brown for ArtsAndCultureTX.com

....[Concerning the concert] there was greater variety in the final three pieces, mainly via instrumentation. Medusa’s Lair, from Marty Regan, left the strongest impression, and not only for being a piece for solo shamisen, played with focussed drive by Yoko Reikano Kimura. The composing showed both technical command of the three-stringed Japanese banjo, and a deeper idiomatic feeling for the narrative and ritual use of the instrument. Kimura conveyed the precise intensity of the piece, which spiraled into a well of drama.

— George Grella, New York Classical Review, Mon Sep 02, 2019