Yamaha Artist Sara Davis Buechner Earns Raves for Friml CD
BUENA PARK, CA (March 4, 2005) — For Yamaha Artist Sara Davis Buechner, the sophisticated piano works of Rudolf Friml have been both an object of affection and a labor of love. Rudolf Friml Piano Works, released on Koch International Classics, not only showcases the musical artistry of the early 20th century operetta composer, but is earning raves for Buechner as well.
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The release was recently featured as "CD Pick of the Week" on Washington DC classical music station WGMS Radio. “If you want instrumental music that captures Gosford Park without the voice of Ivor Novello,” states the review, “the piano music of Rudolf Friml is the perfect record for you.”
Born in Prague in 1879, Friml first made a name for himself as a concert pianist and accompanist. Though his operettas are rarely heard today, Buechner’s CD is helping his accomplished and charming works for solo piano find new life in the 21st century.
In his review, Anthony Tommasini of the New York Times called Buechner’s performances on the 22-work CD “elegant” and “nimble.” He adds: “Ms. Buechner's program is a small revelation and a vindication of her devotion to Friml. There is no struggle in Ms. Buechner's supple, articulate and nuanced performances, either, though some of these works have finger-twisting difficulties.”
“‘Chanson’ is a lovely, waltzing work with a breezy melody that keeps taking unexpected turns with melting chromatic harmonies,” continues Tommasini. “You hear echoes of Debussy in the milky textures. Ms. Buechner plays the piece with rich tone and tasteful rubato… I can't imagine this music played with more integrity and affection.”
Best known for composing lush, romantic operettas in the 1920s, Friml was a comprehensive musician and gifted improviser that composed twenty Broadway scores and two original screen musicals. He collaborated on Rose Marie (1924) with lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II and co-composer Herbert Stothart. Today, Friml's best remembered song is Rose Marie's “Indian Love Call,” sung onscreen by Nelson Eddy and Jeannette McDonald. When musical tastes changed in the 1940s, Friml retired from composing for the stage and screen. He remained an active lecturer and classical composer in his later years, with occasional appearances on television. Friml died in 1972.
To purchase the CD or to learn more about Buechner, visit arkivmusic.com or http://www.sarabuechner.com.
For more information, visit Yamaha; write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; or e-mail infostation@yamaha.com.
Born in Prague in 1879, Friml first made a name for himself as a concert pianist and accompanist. Though his operettas are rarely heard today, Buechner’s CD is helping his accomplished and charming works for solo piano find new life in the 21st century.
In his review, Anthony Tommasini of the New York Times called Buechner’s performances on the 22-work CD “elegant” and “nimble.” He adds: “Ms. Buechner's program is a small revelation and a vindication of her devotion to Friml. There is no struggle in Ms. Buechner's supple, articulate and nuanced performances, either, though some of these works have finger-twisting difficulties.”
“‘Chanson’ is a lovely, waltzing work with a breezy melody that keeps taking unexpected turns with melting chromatic harmonies,” continues Tommasini. “You hear echoes of Debussy in the milky textures. Ms. Buechner plays the piece with rich tone and tasteful rubato… I can't imagine this music played with more integrity and affection.”
Best known for composing lush, romantic operettas in the 1920s, Friml was a comprehensive musician and gifted improviser that composed twenty Broadway scores and two original screen musicals. He collaborated on Rose Marie (1924) with lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II and co-composer Herbert Stothart. Today, Friml's best remembered song is Rose Marie's “Indian Love Call,” sung onscreen by Nelson Eddy and Jeannette McDonald. When musical tastes changed in the 1940s, Friml retired from composing for the stage and screen. He remained an active lecturer and classical composer in his later years, with occasional appearances on television. Friml died in 1972.
To purchase the CD or to learn more about Buechner, visit arkivmusic.com or http://www.sarabuechner.com.
For more information, visit Yamaha; write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; or e-mail infostation@yamaha.com.
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