would that loving were enough. Music of Lee R. Kesselman (HAVEN TRIO)

A prolific composer renowned for his choral works and operas, Kesselman turns his attention to the intimacy of chamber music. The stylistically diverse collection includes original works “Make me a Willow Cabin” set to words from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, “Would That Loving Were Enough” with music and poetry by Kesselman himself, a musical re-thinking of a Handel aria and “I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise,” by George Gershwin. All of the works on the album were written for these performers. The trio HAVEN performs most of the selections; and cellist Allison Rich replaces the clarinet in the trio for "Piangerò" and "How I Hate This Room."

One of Kesselman's inspirations is Japanese music and poetry. The album opens with his arrangement of the popular Japanese folksong "Sakura," which is followed by his original composition "Ashes & Dreams." That work alternates texts of Japanese poetry forms haiku (traditionally written by men) and waka (traditionally written by women); Kesselman's musical styles emphasize the difference in the poetic content.

 "It's been gratifying to compose so many of these works for my daughter Lindsay and her colleagues Kimberly and Midori in HAVEN," says Kesselman. "What a pleasure to hear my music come alive through the recording process. It's an album I am extremely proud of."

SAKURA (3:09)

ASHES & DREAMS

1. PRELUDE (2:48)

2. WAKAISHU YA (1:23)

3. OMOITSUSU (2:16)

4. TE NO UE NI (0:54)

5. KAGIRI NAKI (1:48)

6. NO O YAKU TO (1:56)

7. YUME NI DANI (4:17)

8. NISHI NO SORA E (2:50)

PIANGERÒ (8:45)

MAKE ME A WILLOW CABIN (9:39)

HOW I HATE THIS ROOM (10:40)

WOULD THAT LOVING WERE ENOUGH

I. I PREFER A WINE OF SOME COMPLEXITY (2:59)

II. YOU LIE A-BED (4:41)

III. I WISH THAT LOVING WERE ENOUGH (3:56)

IV. THAT’S A WRAP (2:22)

I’LL BUILD A STAIRWAY TO PARADISE (2:40)