A City Suite 2000, 2001, 13′

vc, pno

Commissioned by Southampton Chamber Music Festival

Available from Subito Music


Listen:

Hester Street Waltz
Fifth Avenue Cakewalk
57th Street Tango


Originally I got entranced with the idea of a tango for cello, and this was before Yo Yo came out with his CD.  The 57th Street Tango was a hit, so I was asked to create a suite. I looked for other things the cello hasn’t much gotten to do. A City Suite follows the social and geographical life of New York City from turn-of-the-century Lower East Side (klezmer cello!) to 30′-40’s high society on Fifth Avenue (well-behaved, overfed people daintily dancing – ’til the pianist just has to break out) to the push, bustle and ambition of modern day 57th street, specifically the part that includes Carnegie Hall.