Lowell Liebermann: Frankenstein

Reviews:

“Lowell Liebermann’s score has a distinctly visual, plot-driven and dramatic character, and is absolutely brilliantly orchestrated, so that it is a great pleasure to hear this imaginative, colorful and richly ornamented music, pleasantly rich in movement. The distinctive themes for the acting characters and the descriptive music make it easy to follow the action purely aurally, without seeing the ballet. In the process, the scenes become so characteristic that on a second listen-through at random, I recognized over 75% of the scenes and was able to associate them with their titles, whether in the love scenes or the terrifying moments where the ‘creature’ gets the upper hand. The performance by the excellent San Francisco Ballet Orchestra under its Music Director, Martin West is atmospheric and evocative. Frankenstein is undoubtedly a ballet score that joins the ranks of great works in the genre.” —Remy Franck, Pizzicato

“The orchestra plays magnificently under the well-paced leadership of Martin West. Given its live provenance, I expected to hear much more in the way of stage noise occasioned by leaping dancers, but there was very little, and certainly nowhere near enough to detract from my enjoyment of the performance. The sonics on this Reference recording are ne plus ultra, as far as my 71-year-old ears can ascertain. For a powerful and satisfying musical wallop, I doubt you’ll find another CD any time soon that can match what you’ll hear on this one. The program notes are written by Liebermann, coupled with a very informative essay by Marina and Victor Ledin concerning the historical placement of Mary Shelley. Recommended with unbridled enthusiasm and as a very strong Want List contender for 2022.” —David DeBoor Canfield, Fanfare

“[Liebermann’s] skill at portraying immediately recognisable emotional states meshes well with Scarlett’s focus on the themes of loneliness and loss that underlie the story’s Gothic shocks. … admirable craftsmanship and fluently colourful orchestration… sympathetic portrayal… Music director Martin West inspires committed playing” —Gramophone

“San Francisco Ballet Orchestra does a splendid job of rendering Liebermann’s score. As a live recording of the ballet production, stage noises, including the dancers’ steps, and a cough or two are sometimes audible, but they merely add to the live character of the event. … Liebermann’s score…memorably shifts between lyricism and anguish as the story alternates between scenes of the family and the creature. … masterfully realized and an inspired rendering of the story into musical form.” —Ron Schepper, Textura

“Liebermann and [Liam] Scarlett have created a truly modern three-Act masterpiece that keeps you rooted to your seat. The choreography by Scarlett has come in for high praise, but the music is terrific, and it is this element that concerns us here. Indeed, Liebermann’s inspirational vein shines from beginning to end, and the emotional power of his music simply carries all before it. The story is punctuated by several episodes expressing anger, suffering, regret, wishfulness and, above all, love, but Liebermann’s gift of communicating such volatile human emotions is consistently alive. … Recorded live from the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, the performance has an electrifying aura about it, with Martin West ensuring that the balance between the dramatic and the lyrical is tightly kept. Despite the unsavoury story, this is music that takes you into a world of its own. Just try it.” —Gerald Fenech, Classical Music Daily

“[Liebermann] makes a compelling case for the humanist melodrama at the story’s core and commits fully to the long-form narrative. It all works well—and the music will just about sweep you off your feet.” —Nathan Faro, America Record Guide

“the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra play with a ravishing warmth. Clearly the orchestra has been well rehearsed. The brass playing is monumentally precision perfect; Liebermann’s music… is of extraordinary complexity. This is an especially densely written ballet in places in others it is quite the opposite, open to making orchestral players feel very exposed – and yet the orchestral playing is brilliant enough that details emerge with astonishing clarity. Those great sweeping string passages at the climax of track Nr.31 do not occlude for one moment the flutes so perfectly judged is the instrumental balance. Martin West directs what is a thrilling, passionate and dramatic account of the score. Some tracks are just electrifying. The sound gives a very warm palate to the performance; it almost feels autumnal under the glow of the recording. Although it is live, stage action doesn’t seem that much of an issue – although there is applause included at the end of each act. I can’t imagine this ballet receiving better advocacy than it does here. … this score will easily sweep you along with it as you listen to it. At its best, the music here is extraordinarily powerful and uncommonly sumptuous. A symphonic masterpiece trapped within the confines of a ballet.” —Marc Bridle, MusicWeb International