United

Description

The first album of the Pacific Quintet for Fuga Libera is a perfect illustration of the diversity of its members and its goal; it also establishes a connection with the composer who inspired the ensemble, Leonard Bernstein. Stepping away from the paths of standard classical repertoire, the quintet (clarinet, horn, flute, oboe, and bassoon) presents music from the countries of origin of its musicians: Japan, Honduras, South Korea, Germany, and Ukraine/Turkey, in a program that transcends cultures, languages, and traditions. Two pieces specially commissioned for this album from Honduran composer Jorge Santos and South Korean composer Soeui Lee are accompanied by the quintet Alevi dedeler raki masasinda by Fazil Say and a medley of Japanese folk songs; Hanns Eisler's Divertimento represents Germany, the home base of the Pacific Quintet. The album concludes with an arrangement of music from West Side Story, a tribute to the famous composer who founded the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan, where the musicians met. This CD reflects how music unites them.