Liner Notes
Cat. No. NWCR766
Release Date: 1997-01-01
John Browning, piano; F. Murray Abraham, narrator; Richard Cumming, piano; Donald Gramm, bass-baritone
These five works cover a period of forty years—1953 to 1993. Recently I uncovered a snapshot of myself taken by a street photographer in London at the time I was writing The Knight’s Page and was momentarily jolted. What’s happened to that kid? The face looking back at me daily in the mirror tells me I am no longer that twenty-four-year old. There is much less hair and what remains is gray. I look more and more like my parents. It is a face that has done a lot of laughing. In that ancient photo the smile is pretty endearing, so I hope that kid is still part of me. Despite some of his silly behavior, I remember him with fondness...
There is a saying that “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” Hogwash! Live each day as if it were your last; drain it of every drop of juice it can provide. No life of any vitality is devoid of pain, anxiety, misfortune, and tragedy, but to quote Bernard Berenson: “Even though life may be a vale of tears, it is one in which it is pleasant to weep.” Richard Cumming (b 1928) studied with Ernest Bloch. Arnold Schoenberg, and Roger Sessions. He has written works for chamber groups, chorus and vocal ensembles, opera, orchestra, solo piano, solo strings, solo voice, film, radio, theatre and TV. His compositions have earned awards, fellowships, grants and prizes from ASCAP, the Ford Foundation, Meet the Composer, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Federation of Music Clubs, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, the Rubin Opera Award, the Wurlitzer Foundation, among others. He currently lives in Providence, Rhode Island. —R.C., 6 July 1997
This title, originally issued on the CRI label, is now available as a burn-on-demand CD (CD-R) or download in MP3/320, FLAC or WAV formats. CD-Rs come in a protective sleeve; no print booklet or jewel case included. Liner notes are accessible via the link above.
These five works cover a period of forty years—1953 to 1993. Recently I uncovered a snapshot of myself taken by a street photographer in London at the time I was writing The Knight’s Page and was momentarily jolted. What’s happened to that kid? The face looking back at me daily in the mirror tells me I am no longer that twenty-four-year old. There is much less hair and what remains is gray. I look more and more like my parents. It is a face that has done a lot of laughing. In that ancient photo the smile is pretty endearing, so I hope that kid is still part of me. Despite some of his silly behavior, I remember him with fondness...
There is a saying that “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” Hogwash! Live each day as if it were your last; drain it of every drop of juice it can provide. No life of any vitality is devoid of pain, anxiety, misfortune, and tragedy, but to quote Bernard Berenson: “Even though life may be a vale of tears, it is one in which it is pleasant to weep.” Richard Cumming (b 1928) studied with Ernest Bloch. Arnold Schoenberg, and Roger Sessions. He has written works for chamber groups, chorus and vocal ensembles, opera, orchestra, solo piano, solo strings, solo voice, film, radio, theatre and TV. His compositions have earned awards, fellowships, grants and prizes from ASCAP, the Ford Foundation, Meet the Composer, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Federation of Music Clubs, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, the Rubin Opera Award, the Wurlitzer Foundation, among others. He currently lives in Providence, Rhode Island. —R.C., 6 July 1997
This title, originally issued on the CRI label, is now available as a burn-on-demand CD (CD-R) or download in MP3/320, FLAC or WAV formats. CD-Rs come in a protective sleeve; no print booklet or jewel case included. Liner notes are accessible via the link above.
Richard Cumming: Silhouettes
| MP3/320 | $17.00 | |
| WAV | $17.00 | |
| CD-R | $17.00 |
A *.pdf of the notes may be accessed here free of charge.
Track Listing
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Silhouettes: I. Allegro giocoso
Richard Cumming
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Silhouettes: II. Lazy, as slow as possible ("3 A.M. Blues")
Richard Cumming
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Silhouettes: III. Vivace
Richard Cumming
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Silhouettes: IV. Rubato - undulating ("Serenade")
Richard Cumming
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Silhouettes: V. Not slow
Richard Cumming
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Postcards from Italy: Maggiore
Richard Cumming
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Postcards from Italy: Capri
Richard Cumming
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Postcards from Italy: Venezia
Richard Cumming
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Postcards from Italy: Firenze
Richard Cumming
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Postcards from Italy: Siena
Richard Cumming
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Postcards from Italy: Ansedonia
Richard Cumming
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Postcards from Italy: Spoleto
Richard Cumming
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Postcards from Italy: Orvieto
Richard Cumming
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Postcards from Italy: Sori
Richard Cumming
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Postcards from Italy: Roma
Richard Cumming
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Postcards from Italy: Tarquinia
Richard Cumming
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Postcards from Italy: Positano
Richard Cumming
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Holidays: I. Prelude
Richard Cumming
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Holidays: II. Sarabande
Richard Cumming
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Holidays: III. March
Richard Cumming
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Holidays: IV. Waltz-Musette
Richard Cumming
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Holidays: V. Lullaby
Richard Cumming
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The Knight's Page
Richard Cumming
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We Happy Few: I. The Feast of Crispian
Richard Cumming
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We Happy Few: II. To Whom Can I Speak Today?
Richard Cumming
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We Happy Few: III. Fife Tune
Richard Cumming
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We Happy Few: IV. Here Dead Lie We
Richard Cumming
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We Happy Few: V. A Ballad of The Good Lord Nelson
Richard Cumming
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We Happy Few: VI. Going To The Warres
Richard Cumming
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We Happy Few: VII. A Sight in Camp
Richard Cumming
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We Happy Few: VIII. The End of The World
Richard Cumming
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We Happy Few: IX. Grave Hour
Richard Cumming
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We Happy Few: X. The Song of Moses
Richard Cumming
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