Born in New York city and now resident in Berkeley, California, Andrew Imbrie (b 1921) penned his 1984 Requiem in response to the tragically early death of his son, John. Commissioned and premiered by the San Francisco Symphony, it's a powerfully compassionate 31-and-a-half minute statement alternating traditional Latin texts with poems by William Blake (To the Evening Star), George Herbert (Prayer) and John Donne (Death, be not proud). Uncompromising though the composer's chosen idiom may be, his music none the less evinces an integrity, intelligence and expressive fervour which communicate strongly. Imbrie's Requiem receives a performance of admirable polish and keen dedication under George Rothman's watchful lead (a special word of praise for soprano Lisa Saffer's wonderfully pure and agile contribution), while the recording (made within the dryish acoustic of The Hit Factory's Studio 1, New York City) is truthful and excellently balanced.
The Third Piano Concerto was written during 1989-91 and bears a dedication to Alan Feinberg (the fearlessly secure soloist here). Lasting almost 38 minutes, it's an admirably ambitious, superbly crafted creation, couched in a traditional three-movement form and employing a freely atonal, yet never too forbidding mode of expression. Fortunately, the composer's own friendly booklet-notes are a great help in following the work's densely argued progress. Suffice it to say, Rothman secures another very good performance indeed, and the sound is more than decent too. All told, a really enterprising coupling.'