Society of Composers, Inc.

A wide-ranging anthology of contemporary concert music, Mosaic is just what its title suggests. The CD is a picture of current American serious music-making, both from its seven composers and from the soloist, duos and ensembles that give the challenging compositions their dedicated performances. Some pieces are abstract, but nevertheless engaging, like the duo dialogues for flute and violin, "Aneresis" by Tasos Stylianou, and "Tranparencies" for solo piano by James Romig. Others echo predecessors, like Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy's "Undertow," which is beautifully spiced with a gypsy-tinged, Bartok-like violin part. There's fun here too, in "Fiuggi Fanfare" by Sally Reid, for saxophone quintet, a piece whose trill-filled unfurling exudes joie de vivre. Stephen Yip's "Gorintou Five Rings Pagoda" is full of dramatic gestures and a gripping ensemble performance. Fourhanded cascades and delicately balanced interludes characterize "Exodus for Two Pianos" by Soo Jin Cho. With striking narrative forward movement and sparkling instrumental interplay, "Memoir of Don-Hak" by Hee Yun Kim is another fine composition in the thoughtful selection from the Society of Composers.