Content area
Full Text
To summarize in a few paragraphs the long and distinguished career of composer Judith Lang Zaimont, including her work as author, pianist, and teacher, is to necessarily do it an injustice. Despite her sundry activities relating to music, it is her work as a composer that defines her, and provides her artistic impetus. Her music has been played around the world by leading orchestras and ensembles. It has been cited on two century lists, served as international competition repertoire in several performance areas, formed the subject of 17 doctoral dissertations, and earned her numerous awards, honors, commissions, and prizes, including a Guggenheim fellowship and an Aaron Copland award.
Her catalog of approximately 100 works includes three symphonies, oratorios, cantatas, works for string orchestra and concert band, a wide variety of chamber works, and a chamber opera. Her works are featured on more than two dozen recordings including the two under review here.
Zaimont writes fluently in many musical idioms from rags and beguines to works using advanced, complex language. One truly never knows what to expect in a new work from the pen of this composer, other than that it will be finely crafted, brimming with inspired ideas and effects.
I have had a most enjoyable time in searching for, and listening to, as many of her compositions as I could find. I was not able to locate a single work of hers that I would rate any less than "most impressive." Given that I have been assigned to do an interview with a woman who seemingly must not sleep, I was fortunate to catch her in a few free moments to answer some questions.
Q: In listening to quite a few of your works over the last week or two, I note with pleasure the stylistic range in your music. I've always admired a composer who writes with fluency and inspiration in a variety of styles, but I'm curious as to how you would describe your own music.
A: I'm drawn to the music of composers (like Berlioz, Chopin, Scriabrn, Stravinsky) who I'd describe as inquisitive, investigative as distinct from thorough. Overall their music covers considerable territory and has intriguing textural interest with lots of color. Also, it emphasizes inventive figuration and moves...