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Artist: Michael Fine
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Michael Fine:

String Quartet No. 4, Varied Encounters

Michael Fine writes……My fourth String Quartet, called 'Varied Encounters’, is a series of reminiscences, unintentional connections and encounters. The opening section stems from a memory of working in Havana as composer in residence for the Habana Clásica music festival and the music I heard on the street. It is also connected to my favorite Korean drama called 'Encounter' with several of its episodes set in Cuba. The second movement - Lento espressivo - connects a theme from my 'Six Little Preludes' for piano and 'For A Friend,' a violin sonata written for Lina Vartanova whom I met while recording in Moscow (and who is the first violinist in the Studio 9 Quartet which recorded 'Varied Encounters.'  'Six Little Preludes' were the suggestion of a young Korean pianist I met in Busan: when I told her I was not completely comfortable writing for piano, she helpfully suggested trying to write a series of short pieces. Back to Quartet Nr 4: 'Tempo di Valse' is in the spirit of my 'Quartet Moments 1', some of the first music I wrote. It was inspired by walks to a small nature preserve near my home in Rotterdam. The Quartet's final section has another connection, or encounter, with the last of the Six Little Preludes.'  Connections and encounters inform every aspect of my life and my music.

Michael Fine:

Chamber Symphony w/PKF-Prague Phil., Villaume

My Chamber Symphony, for eleven orchestra soloists, began with a jazzy trumpet solo idea that began playing in my head and wouldn't let go till I wrote it down and gave it a context. This expanded into four movements with challenging solos for each instrument. Some have heard the influence of the neo-classical Stravinsky; a friend of Darius Milhaud's widow who heard the piece thought I was channeling Milhaud. The score was successfully premiered in 2019 with an all-star group of instrumentalists under the direction of Scott Yoo. I was particularly pleased when Emmanuel Villaume offered to give the piece its European debut with the Prague Philharmonia, a superb ensemble that I have been producing recordings with for thirty years. It was scheduled in their prestigious Lobkowicz Castle series but twice postponed due to COVID restrictions. I was touched by the Maestro's and orchestra's commitment to the piece as it was quickly rescheduled for their first streaming concert of the New Year, opening a program which also has music by Mozart, Wagner, and Richard Strauss. Excellent company! - Michael Fine

Michael Fine - Chamber Symphony - performed by the Prague Philharmonia with their Music Director, Emmanuel Villaume conducting, recorded at Jatka78, Prague for Czech TV on February 2021 

EVIDENCE Classics EVCD114D

Michael Fine:

For a Friend-Lina Vartanova, Ekaterina Ayzenshtadt

Michael Fine releases ‘For a Friend’ featuring: Lina Vartanova, Ekaterina Ayzenshtadt

One of the greatest joys of composing music is creating something special for a friend, with their unique sound and artistic sensibilities in mind. Everyone who subsequently plays the piece contributes their own personal vision to music originally conceived for a specific person. In this case, the dedicatee is Lina Vartanova, an amazing Armenian violinist whom I met while recording with the Russian National Orchestra where she lead the 2nd violins. She was extremely helpful both with her positive leadership and musicality in these very demanding sessions, playing a leading role in helping us get the best results. I listened to several recordings of her in solo and chamber music repertoire with great pleasure and with her agreement decided to write a piece for her as a thank you and gesture of friendship. There is no officially recognised musical genre or style called 'quirkily tonal' but that is how this music works, with hints of the Romantic Period as it leans into the early 20th century. The piece is in four distinct sections: the first (Moderato assai) opens with a broad theme played by piano; the violin joins taking over the theme but then shifts between extroverted virtuosity and introspective moments. The second movement, a Scherzo has an appropriate scherzando character with quick and hopefully witty rhythms and some old-fashioned American walking bass lines in the piano. A Lullaby - gently rocking - follows. It is perhaps my favorite music in the piece. (Yes, composers have favourite moments in their own music.) 'For a Friend' concludes with a traditionally quick and challenging last movement though a hint of the lullaby returns before the rapid conclusion……….

Michael Fine:

Five For Five

Paris based Evidence Classics release their second recording of Michael Fine's music: Five for Five – Five Quintets for five woodwind soloists and string quartet. The recording was made following performances at Festival Mozaic in San Luis Obispo with musicians from leading musical organisations including the Metropolitan Opera, Cleveland Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, and Atlanta Symphony among others. These are all world premiere recordings. Michael Fine produced the recording. Jin Choi was engineer for the sessions at Cuesta College's Harold J. Miossi Center for the Performing Arts.  Evidence Classics are distributed world-wide by Harmonia Mundi/PIAS and can be heard on all the major streaming services including Apple Music, Spotify, and Idagio.

"It is a lot of fun to make music with close friends. It is a privilege to bring to life the music of a great composer, who also happens to be a friend. This recording is both.  Performing these pieces was so interesting. They look extremely simple upon face value, but even after a few measures we all realized that each phrase was very complex and detailed. We all got the best results when we relaxed and purged our minds of any restless thoughts – Michael's music, very much like Copland's, demands a certain amount of serenity. My colleagues and I hope we have done the music justice in this album." - Scott Yoo, Director, Festival Mozaic, Violin 1, Mozaic Quartet 

Michael Fine:

Seasons

The scores of composer Michael Fine are born from his improvisations on the piano and are nourished by his travels and his readings: his music derives from a poetic imagination and carries therefore lots of visual evocations. From Korea and its palaces (At the Gate) to Scotland and the writer Alexander McCall Smith (Brother Fox), the world and its landscapes pass by over the seasons (Seasonal Rites) as you listen to it.

A sound immersion all the more successful due to the fact that Michael Fine is also a Grammy winning producer for his expertise in sound recording.

What's more, as himself a performer, Michael Fine has written music for musicians. This recording is the faithful testimony of a collective adventure where musicians share their pleasure to play and then offer it to the public.