Audio Review: Scenes by Albert Miller

Scenes (2021)
Washington State University Recordings
Albert Miller, euphonium
Yoon-Wha Roh, piano

In the hope of presenting a number of performances, euphoniumist Albert Miller was forced to halt any touring engagements due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. As a result, Miller decided to record the works that all set a unique, individualistic scene for the listener. Scenes is a special album featuring works, previously in other instrumentation, now to be heard for the first time through the sound of a euphonium and piano.

Starting with French composer Gabriel Philippot’s Invocation Démoniaque, this “Tour de Force” tells a riveting story with emotion, passion, and glee, ending with majestic virtuosity that pushes Miller to the limits both lyrically and technically.

Following Philippot’s masterpiece of acrobatics, Miller shows off his lyrical prowess in Nadia Boulanger’s Five Songs. As Boulanger wrote over 30 songs during her pioneering career, Miller carefully selected five songs that call upon various moods and contexts. While lyrics are not heard, the text is beautifully characterized through Miller’s interpretation of each song. The sound of love, remorse, sadness, and joy all fill these lovely arrangements.

Closing out this album is Miller rendition of John Steinmetz’ Suite from an Imaginary Opera, originally written for English Horn and Piano. Power is released through the piano’s opening chords in setting up an operatic story of building curiosity. A hallmark of this opera is the second movement, “Dance,” where the piano and euphonium navigate up and down their respective instruments, traveling through scalar patterns, all while maintaining calm and poise through this movement. A special kudos goes to pianist Yoon-Wha Roh while maintaining a strong and rigid rhythmic in the left hand and still playing a lyrical sound in the right hand with Miller through this second movement.

As this originally planned, recital-only music morphed into a solo album recording, the silver lining has now taken shape to produce a product of musical scenery that features songs and stories for many years to come.

Tracklist:

• Philippot – Invocation Démoniaque
• Boulanger – Five Songs
  • Au Bord De La Route
  • Versailles
  • Chanson
  • Soir D’hiver
  • Cantique
• Steinmetz – Suite from an Imaginary Opera:
  • 1. Aria
  • 2. Dance
  • 3. Recitative
  • 4. Aria
  • 5. Apotheosis

Click here to purchase Scenes.

Click here to learn more about Albert Miller.