Alburnum

by Brian Mulligan, Timothy Long

Overview

"Alburnum" is definitely a vocabulary word of the week, meaning "the delicate outer layers of recently grown wood found between the heartwood and the bark of a tree." The word appears in one of the four prose segments from Henry David Thoreau's Walden set by composer Gregory Spears and appears on this album by baritone Brian Mulligan and pianist Timothy Long. Mulligan moves easily between different modes of expression; Missy Mazzoli's As Long as We Live is a typically passionate outpouring by Walt Whitman, while Mason Bates' Songs from the Plays (the plays themselves are imaginary ones) are pert, sometimes humorous pieces that will appeal to fans of William Bolcom's vocal music, but the Spears work is a real standout, and it matches Mulligan's talents beautifully. He excels in the text-heavy music throughout the album, and physical CD listeners will not need the included texts. Spears' music has a luminous post-minimalism, reflecting Thoreau's spirituality, into which Mulligan settles wonderfully. There is a real alchemy of singer and song here, and his interactions with pianist Long reflect careful thought and working-out. This is an entirely distinctive contemporary song recital from the increasingly active Bright Shiny Things label. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	11/11/2022
Label:	Bright Shiny Things
UPC:	0738715292334
Rank:	193129

Tracks

1. Walden~I. I went to the woods
2. Walden~II. Sometimes, on Sundays
3. Walden~III. Time is but the stream
4. Walden~IV. I left the woods
5. As Long as We Live
6. Songs from the Plays~I. Bring Back the Beds
7. Songs from the Plays~II. They Say Prince Hamlet's Found a Southern Island
8. Songs from the Plays~III. This Dancing Man Was Once The Pope
9. Songs from the Plays~IV. When I Was a Young Woman
10. Songs from the Plays~V. Your Genius Made Me Shiver
11. Songs from the Plays~VI. What Makes This Statue Noble Seeming?
12. Songs from the Plays~VII. You Want a Social Life, With Friends

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Brian Mulligan   Primary Artist,Baritone (Vocal)
Timothy Long   Primary Artist,Piano

Technical Credits

Kenneth Koch   Text
Adam Abeshouse   Producer,Engineer
Henry David Thoreau   Text
Mason Bates   Composer,Liner Notes
Walt Whitman   Text
Marian C. Holmes   Package Design,Cover Art
Gregory Spears   Liner Notes,Composer
Missy Mazzoli   Liner Notes,Composer