Charleston Symphony: Under an Indigo Sky: Works by Edward Hart
Navona Records

Edward Hart (b. 1965) describes Under an Indigo Sky, one of two concertos presented on this excellent introduction to the American composer, as a “love letter to [his] geographical home, the American Southeast.” In fact, the entire album might be regarded that way, given that the companion work, A Charleston Concerto, was created to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the city and is performed by the Charleston Symphony Orchestra (CSO) in collaboration with the Harlem Quartet. Hart himself is a native of the city, located in South Carolina and renowned for the beauty of its mountains and coast; he also earned his doctorate at the University of South Carolina and is a faculty member at The College of Charleston. Further to that, the performances were recorded at the city's Gaillard Center Performance Hall, Under an Indigo Sky in 2019 and A Charleston Concerto two-and-a-half years later.

Each work is in three movements, and all six are substantial, only one under ten minutes long. That allows for an in-depth presentation of Hart's compositional style, which, in these cases, hews structurally to classical form and is accessible yet also daring and adventurous. The impression created is of a composer who's absorbed the work of his predecessors but is dedicated to forging his own style without aligning himself to any particular school. Hart's not averse to incorporating atonality if a particular passage calls for it and is also comfortable, as the two works illustrate, fashioning material with programmatic content in mind. Scored for violin and orchestra, Under an Indigo Sky is his attempt to capture in musical form the natural splendour of the area but also the “feel” engendered by the settings. In shifting his gaze from the natural world to the city proper, Hart explores its cultural and developmental history in A Charleston Concerto and does so by referencing darker aspects of its past whilst also allowing room for hope and optimism.

With Ken Lam conducting the CSO and Yuriy Bekker the violin soloist, Under an Indigo Sky begins with “Fast-Flowing Rivers,” the urgency of the water feature reflected in the insistent rhythms that propel the soloist and orchestra. Bekker delivers a vivacious performance, which, true to violin concerto form, sees the instrument striding confidently alongside the CSO. Sweetly singing, vibrato-rich phrases glide across the vibrant sheen of the orchestra as the violin evokes the image of rivers flowing gracefully through the natural world. Restful moments emerge too, however, to suggest the peacefulness of the setting. Bekker's artistry flowers throughout and is showcased in the extended cadenza that emerges towards the opening part's end. The work's slow movement, the central “Warm Salt Air” unfolds contemplatively with sultry string gestures and in an almost drowsy mood. After Bekker joins the orchestra, Hart's oft-serene music unfolds with dignified yet dramatic purpose, an unaccompanied section again granting the soloist a terrific moment to share his impeccable control and command. The robust “Misty Blue Horizon” naturally reinstates the effervescent tone of the opening movement, the solo violin once again soaring as if seeing the multi-hued landscape from on high.

With the Harlem Quartet (violinists Ilmar Gavilán and Melissa White, violist Jaime Amador, and cellist Felix Umansky) joining Lam and the CSO, the sound world of A Charleston Concerto expands to an even greater lustrous palette than that presented in the opening work. A sense of wide-eyed wonder is conveyed in “Discovery” as Hart musically conjures the experience of natives first setting eyes on Charleston Harbor hundreds of years ago and feeling unbridled optimism in response to what they're seeing. The city's darker history is addressed in the sombre central movement “Tragedy and Reconciliation,” not only natural tragedies but also human-created ones such as slavery; Hart's way of acknowledging that aspect is through the incorporation of material from the Gullah Spirituals “Sinnuh W'ah Yuh Doin' Down Dere” and “Silbuh Spade,” the cry of their melodies giving the music a powerfully plaintive quality plus an endearing folk character. That Hart ends the movement with joy presumably expresses his personal hope for recovery and reconciliation. That optimistic tone carries over into the concluding “Tomorrow,” its forecast filled with promise and hope. Romantic string passages swoon amidst sparkling percussion and woodwind flourishes in this celebratory affirmation.

April 2023