Gates of Gold sets the hardy tale of Chinese immigration to California during the Gold Rush. It starts out like the John Adams of Shaker Loops (albeit with orchestra) and digresses to the John Williams of ET. Pentatonic tunes work in league with dramatic key changes and the RPO play like a top-notch studio band. Maybe the second movement is just a little too lush and comfortable for a ‘River of Tears’, though I suppose that depends who’s telling the story. This particular version is prime-time family viewing.
Awakening celebrates Sacred Earth after a near-death experience and extends the cosy sincerity already encountered in Gates of Gold (‘Forgiveness’ is rather more austere than ‘Compassion’). Adelina de Maya alternates a pretty song and a lively dance, both Latin-flavoured and dedicated to the composer’s sister, whereas the near- minimalist The Multiples of One disperses a select community of soloists around a repeated-note idea on the piano. It’s probably the most original piece on the disc – which isn’t saying much.
But then I doubt that originality was ever on the agenda. Tunefulness certainly was, and so was brash, soundtrack-style orchestration (coarse-grained brass, harp glissandos, cymbal rolls, etc) and a punchy recording. Regrettably, I can’t tell you anything about Joseph Curiale himself (Black Box gives nothing away). What I can tell you is that by his own admission he feels blessed that ‘we are part of a world with such a diversity of races, colours, shapes, sizes, and with an infinite variety of expressions of divine grace’. Nice ideas that relate specifically to The Multiples of One, though if you can imagine music to fit the sentiments, you’ll probably be on target for the whole programme. Even now, I can hear the rustle of handkerchiefs and see the credits go rolling by.'