Album

The stated purpose of composer Charles Roland Berry is to write pieces that are both distinctively modern and yet accessible and appealing to casual listeners. Considering that some of his most significant instructors and inspirations were the likes of John Cage, Peter Fricker, and Paul Creston—composers whose works are still sometimes difficult to digest by some—Berry has certainly succeeded. Surprisingly, much of his music (particularly in underlying harmony and texture in the strings) has very distinct hints of Aaron Copland. Although the liner notes of this album (written by the composer) describe his background and thoughts on his compositions in general, they regrettably do not go into any detail on the actual works performed on the CD, not even to tell in which year they were composed. Still, listeners interested in getting their proverbial toes wet in the largely unexplored pool of new music will certainly find his rhapsodic cello concerto and pastoral, almost Western-sounding Third Symphony a pleasingly easy-to-follow foray into the unknown. Performances given by the Janácek Philharmonic Orchestra and the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra are overall strong, though not flawless. Jirí Hanousek's playing in the Cello Concerto is marred only by the somewhat nasal sound quality afforded him on this recording.

© Mike D. Brownell, Rovi

CD 1
Charles Roland Berry Composer Mariners Fanfare, for orchestra Work Recorded 2007 Janácek Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Theodore Kuchar Conductor
1	Mariners Fanfare, for orchestra	1:32			$0.99
Charles Roland Berry Composer Cello Concerto Work Recorded 2007 31:36 Janácek Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Theodore Kuchar Conductor, Jirí Hanousek Cello
2	1.Allegro	11:29			$1.99
3	2.Andante	6:09			$0.99
4	3.Adagio	7:24			$1.49
5	4.Allegro	6:34			$0.99
Charles Roland Berry Composer Symphony No.3 "Celestial" Work Recorded 2007 28:24 Janácek Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Theodore Kuchar Conductor
6	1.Allegro	8:07			$1.49
7	2.Andante	6:05			$0.99
8	3.Adagio & Allegro	6:44			$0.99
9	4.Andante	7:28			$1.49
Charles Roland Berry Composer Veery Thrush with Cedars, for orchestra Work Recorded 2007 Janácek Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Theodore Kuchar Conductor
10	Veery Thrush with Cedars, for orchestra	4:56			$0.99
Charles Roland Berry Composer Quileute Overture, for cello & orchestra Work Recorded 2003 Joel Eric Suben Conductor, Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Gabriel Faur Cello
11	Quileute Overture, for cello & orchestra	9:15			$1.49