Time and Distance, Mark Abel’s latest album, is a strong and multifaceted offering that brings his unique style into its sharpest focus yet.
Soprano Hila Plitmann and mezzo Janelle DeStefano are the vocal soloists, with Tali Tadmor and Carol Rosenberger taking turns at the piano. Bruce Carver is guest percussionist for the concert aria Those Who Loved Medusa, and Mark himself played organ on the song cycle In the Rear View Mirror, Now. The texts for the five pieces are by L.A. poet and earlier Abel collaborator Kate Gale, Southern California poet Joanne Regenhardt and the composer.
Time and Distance finds Abel pushing the boundaries of his previous work with the stark and dramatic Medusa, which Hila Plitmann premiered at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica. Gale’s text poetically illuminates what might be considered the original act of sexual harassment. Filmmaker Tempe Hale's striking video production of Medusa (above) features Plitmann in a stunning evocation of the mythological maiden-turned-monster.
In the Rear View Mirror, Now is an unusual and highly personal utterance surveying a trio of inner landscapes, while The Benediction poignantly focuses on the deeply troubling fault lines in American society.
The Ocean of Forgiveness, sung by Janelle DeStefano, occupies a warmer space, shaded in tones evoking the natural world and celebrating human compassion. This cycle was awarded the Honorable Mention in the 2018 Art Song Competition held by the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
Time and Distance was engineered by James T. Hill and recorded in sessions spanning five months of 2017 at The Bridge in Glendale, Ca. The album is available from: Amazon, iTunes, ArkivMusic and Delos. The interior booklet for the record can be found here.
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"PALM TREES" PREMIERE
Prominent soprano Hila Plitmann's powerful and memorable rendition of "The Palm Trees Are Restless," set to texts of Kate Gale, garnered unanimous praise from reviewers of the "Home Is a Harbor" CD package. On October 1, 2016, she and outstanding pianist Tali Tadmor premiered the work at the Boston Court Performing Arts Center in Pasadena, Ca. The program received a standing ovation. |
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ARTICLES AND RADIO INTERVIEWS
The most fun of these is clearly Mark's
interview by Dacia Clay of Houston Public Media for the charming and informative podcast "Classical Classroom." In it, they define art song and discuss its value, listen to some music along the way, and rehash some of Mark's history. Check it out here.
"Home Is a Harbor" was aired in its entirety on KCBX, the NPR station for California's Central Coast. Excerpts from Mark's interview with program host Bettina Swigger can be found here.
The website of Los Angeles' venerable KCET, America's largest independent public television station, issued a long piece on Mark's work by Sarah Linn, arts writer for The Tribune of San Luis Obispo, Ca. It can be viewed here. Ms. Linn also wrote this profile at the time of release of "Terrain of the Heart."
More recently, Ryah Cooley of the New Times of San Luis Obispo wrote this look at the origins and making of "Home Is a Harbor."
Mark had wide-ranging chats about "Terrain of the Heart" with Ted Peterson of Estero Bay Community Radio in Morro Bay, Ca., and Jim Cross of WGDR, community and public radio for Central Vermont. The Peterson interview can be heard here and the Cross interview here.
An earlier interview takes "The Dream Gallery" as its subject. Mark was the guest of Charles Sepos of KRCB, the NPR affiliate for California's Sonoma County. Hear it here.
The most fun of these is clearly Mark's
interview by Dacia Clay of Houston Public Media for the charming and informative podcast "Classical Classroom." In it, they define art song and discuss its value, listen to some music along the way, and rehash some of Mark's history. Check it out here.
"Home Is a Harbor" was aired in its entirety on KCBX, the NPR station for California's Central Coast. Excerpts from Mark's interview with program host Bettina Swigger can be found here.
The website of Los Angeles' venerable KCET, America's largest independent public television station, issued a long piece on Mark's work by Sarah Linn, arts writer for The Tribune of San Luis Obispo, Ca. It can be viewed here. Ms. Linn also wrote this profile at the time of release of "Terrain of the Heart."
More recently, Ryah Cooley of the New Times of San Luis Obispo wrote this look at the origins and making of "Home Is a Harbor."
Mark had wide-ranging chats about "Terrain of the Heart" with Ted Peterson of Estero Bay Community Radio in Morro Bay, Ca., and Jim Cross of WGDR, community and public radio for Central Vermont. The Peterson interview can be heard here and the Cross interview here.
An earlier interview takes "The Dream Gallery" as its subject. Mark was the guest of Charles Sepos of KRCB, the NPR affiliate for California's Sonoma County. Hear it here.