Review from Sequenza21 - April 2005

In the corner of Appalachia where I grew up quilts made of leftover scraps of many different colors, shapes and sizes of fabrics were called ÒcrazyÓ quilts because they had no obvious preconceived pattern yet often produced astonishingly beautiful results depending on the skill of the maker. (The one on the cover was made by Beth's mother.) It is not a bad analogy for this collection of pieces by the unabashedly new romantic composer Beth Anderson. The title piece is a long, slowly unfolding work for solo piano originally written as a score for a dance, there are funny and tender songs for baritone and piano, bright duos for violin and piano, and finally one of her Òswales,Ó which are bouncy chamber pieces for various instruments (in this case, the piano and two double basses) with contagious hooks that wonderfully capture the many different spirits of country life. (The first time I heard her ÒMarch SwaleÓ on WNYC, it stopped me dead in my tracks.) Anderson is an original all-America voice and a musical seamstress of exceptional skill. - Jerry Bowles

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