Berio, Hindemith, Underhill: Curio Box

This disc connects Hindemith to Berio to Underhill and features the Canadian Turning Point Ensemble, the extraordinary cellist and ensemble member Ariel Barnes, one of Canada’s most creative and distinctive vocalists Fides Krucker, and a premiere recording of a new Cello Concerto from the ensemble’s Artistic Director. The piece Kammermusik No. 3 by Paul Hindemith was composed for his brother, the cellist Rudolf Hindemith. As with his other 6 pieces entitled Kammermusik, it reveals a brilliant and inventive composer with an original and fresh approach to neoclassicism. The second piece on this release – Folks Songs for Mezzo-Soprano and seven instruments by Luciano Berio – was once a dream of Fides Krucker to perform. Owen Underhill’s Cello Concerto was actually composed for Ariel Barnes and the Canadian Turning Point Ensemble. The first movement is inspired by the Chinese Curio Boxes, which also gave the CD its title. The boxes open mysteriously revealing multiple levels and small compartments containing precious objects.