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Valerie Coleman’s American Vein

This is the Premiere recording of Valerie Coleman’s American Vein, written for OboeBass! through a Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Grant, with generous support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Valerie Coleman describes American Vein as “a nostalgic look at what the best of America means to us all.” Celebrating the community and pride that come from things that unite us, American Vein travels in time and geography across the country, revealing different aspects of things we know, remember, share, and believe about the USA. Coleman’s five-movement piece tours America, starting with the Redwood Forests, cruises down Route 66, visits Woodstock of 1952, pays homage to the Melting Pot at the Statue of Liberty, and finishes off with a Southern “Barn Raising, Bourbon and Bluegrass.”

Available from these locations and streaming services.

The commission of American Vein has been made possible by the Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Program, with generous funding provided by The Andrew W Mellon Foundation, and the Chamber Music America Endowment Fund. The recording of American Vein was supported in part by a Project 80-90 Grant from the International Society of Bassists, sponsored by Gary Karr.


Alec Wilder’s “Baroque Suite” for Flute, Oboe, Bass & Harpsichord

We made this Premiere recording of this iconic work by one of America’s most interesting and idiosyncratic composers.

Alec Wilder composed the Suite for Flute, Oboe, Bass & Harpsichord, aka Baroque Suite in 1968. Wilder had a distinctive compositional voice – playful and cerebral, tuneful and technical, producing seriously well-crafted music composed with tongue firmly in cheek. This piece is an eclectic 60’s style classic crossover composition with elements of jazz, baroque, Great American Songbook, film noir scores, and classical contemporary music. Julie Johnson, flute, and Gail Olszewski, Roland Electric Harpsichord, join OboeBass! in this recording.


Monk Fish Tango

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Evocative, virtuosic crossovers between classical, jazz, and tango styles composed for and performed on English horn and double bass.

Timothy Goplerud has written so many compositions for OboeBass! that we sometimes call him “the third member of the OboeBass! duo.” These pieces for English horn and bass showcase the craftsmanship, compositional range, and humor of Tim’s distinctive musical voice. We credit “It Takes Two . . .” as the piece that inspired us to pursue our duo career and we dedicate this CD to Tim and his wonderful music. Thanks Tim! Available from these locations:


Askelad and the Seven Silver Ducks

Askelad and the Seven Silver Ducks is a traditional Norwegian folk tale set to music and illustrated by Margi Griebling-Haigh.

In 2007 Griebling-Haigh received a Jerome Composer Commission from the American Composers Forum to compose this piece to be performed and narrated by OboeBass! It is available as a book/CD set, recorded by OboeBass! at MPR Studios, accompanied by her own illustrated retelling of the classic tale of the triumphal underdog, Askelad.

 


“It Takes Two . . .”

Our debut 2008 recording, “It Takes Two…” for Centaur Records features all original works for oboe and bass duo, all but one expressly written for us. Check out Tim Goplerud’s “elegantly smoldering” (Juilliard Journal) title track, “It Takes Two . . .” on our Vimeo Channel. Other works by Andrea Clearfield, Jody Nagel, Adrian Mann, Shane Monds, Vernon J. Sandoz III, and Dinos Constantinides. It was the last recording produced by our friend, the legendary Howard Scott.


The Story of Babar the Little Elephant

Margi Griebling-Haigh’s translation and musical retelling of Jean de Brunhoff’s classic children’s tale about a resourceful elephant finding his way in the world. Rolf and Carrie are joined on this recording by MPR host Steve Staruch as narrator and William Eddins, piano. Available from these locations:

 


Sarah Miller’s Just So Stories

Sarah Miller set charming OboeBass! accompaniments to four Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling, and joins OboeBass! as narrator. Cover illustrations by Rudyard Kipling. Meet The Cat That Walked By Himself and The Elephant’s Child, and learn How the Whale got his Throat and How the Camel got his Hump!