Deux Pieces, Partita, Quatre pieces faciles, Sonate for Cello & Piano

Alexandre Tansman (1897-1986) was born and educated in Poland and in his youth had the great good fortune to travel to Paris where he became friends with Ravel, Honegger and Milhaud. But if his symphonies are filled with French flourishes, Tansman’s chamber works are clearly American. Tansman had moved his family to Hollywood before World War Two broke out; consequently, his music exhibits some of the dramatic elements of American film music, and especially jazz. Partita (1955) begins with quite somber European moods, especially on the cello, but shifts over to more urban rhythms that conjure the hustle and bustle of New York City. Deux Pieces (1931) shows clear traces of Darius Milhaud on the cello, but the piano has a nice understated role, tossing in off-key notes, giving the piece an unexpectedly goofy character. (You can tell that cellist Alexander Zagorinsky and pianist Alexei Shmitov are having fun.) Sonata for cello and piano (1930) is more cognizant of the realm of modern jazz, but without crossing the line entirely. Quatre Pieces Faciles (1981), a very brief assembly of “four easy pieces,” has an easy-going charm. Of all the works on this release, it’s the most Russian in flavor. All told, the performances sound first-rate and they’ve been well recorded, if a tad “narrowly”. A bit of sonic depth would have served the exuberant spirit of the music more. It’s still a fabulous release.