JONATHAN LESHNOFF (b. 1973): Elegy, Violin Concerto No. 2, Of Thee I Sing.

Description: Leshnoff's symphonies and concerti have previously impressed (06U011, 12S010, 06V064) with their neo-romantic grandeur, power, and ready accessibility while addressing profound issues, and these splendid works amply reinforce this impression. He was GRAMMY-nominated for his album Violins of Hope (Naxos 8.559809) and is among the most frequently performed of living composers. The themes of these recent works are remembrance, memorialization, and hopefulness. Elegy addresses ideas of harmony and discord through contrasting thematic ideas. The Violin Concerto No. 2 follows the ‘symphony-concerto’ model with a resonant and lyrical slow movement inspired by Jewish mysticism at its core. Pulsating harmonies eventually subside into serene and hopeful writing in Of Thee I Sing, written in an act of creative transcendence to commemorate the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Oklahoma City Philharmonic; Noah Bendix-Balgley ; Canterbury Voices; Alexander Mickelthwate.