These are the premiere recordings of the complete piano
music of William Bergsma. Bergsma studied with Howard Hanson and with
Bernard Rogers (whose own music really should be recorded). Kurt Stone
has described Bergsma's music as "resourceful and imaginative,
essentially tonal, texturally conventional and predominantly lyrical."
I would not dissent from that judgement. His concertos for viola (Sweet
was the Song the Virgin Sang) and the Violin Concerto (recorded
by Statkiewicz and still available on Vox) are well worth the trouble
of seeking out though the viola work is, I think, only available
if you can find a friend on the underground tape network.
Bergsma is mildly dissonant in the 30 minute Tangents
which careers from a toughened neo-Bachian Finzian spiciness to a jerky
upheaval of kinetic force redolent of late Copland. Peace is never far
away but then again you encounter sardonic and splenetic essays such
as the Mr Darwin's Serenade and For Nickie Angry - two
of a dozen pieces comprising Tangents, a work written as a limbering
up for his fine opera The Wife of Martin Guerre - recorded once
upon a time in extract on a CRI LP. The Fantasies written for
Cecile Genhart a champion of modern music comprise two dramatic movements
framing a halting night march. The late Variations consist of
a Theme, eight Variations and a Coda. Unlike the other works here, the
Variations are accorded a single track. They are a much tougher
nut to crack than the other two pieces. The notes are good as is the
sound which is powerful and close.
I hope that I will have the good fortune to hear more
by the neglected William Bergsma. He always has something strong to
communicate. Is there anyone out there who can direct me to other Bergsma
discs?
Rob Barnett
Jill Timmons (piano)