Rare Rorem

This is a rewarding cd of chamber music by Ned Rorem, another issue on the Naxos American Classics series. The three pieces featured are for unusual combinations. Well ok, clarinet, violin and piano is common enough which is what End of Summer is written for. But the piece Book of Hours is written for flute and harp and Bright Music is for a chamber ensemble comprising flute, two violins, cello and piano. The performers are the Fibonacci Sequence. Rorem is most celebrated for his art song compositions, both with orchestral and solo piano accompaniment. but in fact his compositions are much more wide ranging. Another American with a strong Paris connection, it is not a surprise that he had some contact with Poulenc. The works here are basically tonal but also clearly of the 20th century and are the work of a confident secure composer who knows his own mind. The Fibonacci Sequence are a British ensemble whose various members do full justice to the interesting music presented here. The pieces are vaguely programmatic with Book of Hours following the prayer cycle of a typical day from matins to compline. The programme is not imposed to a stifling or obvious degree however.