For Stefan Wolpe: The Choral Music of Morton Feldman and Stefan Wolpe

AMG Review of For Stefan Wolpe: The Choral Music of Morton Feldman and Stefan Wolpe

Tom Schulte
All Music Guide

Morton Feldman and Stefan Wolpe both composed some of the great works of 20th century music, as well as teaching many of its master composers. Like Picasso with his painting Guernica, Wolpe composed his "Two Chinese Epitaphs" in a strong artistic reaction to the horror of aerial bombing at the Basque town of Guernica. (At the time, this was a new advancement in warfare.) Wolpe composed "Two Chinese Epitaphs" in Jerusalem and later put his hopes for the new nation of Israel into "Four Pieces for Mixed Chorus." That also is presented here as a further example of the intricate, complex, but undeniably beautiful choral works to come from Wolpe. There are two short choral pieces by Feldman on this collection. The chief contribution from Feldman here is the 30-minute "For Stephen Wolpe." This is a fascinating, minimalist blend of chorus alternating with vibraphone passages.