Last Silence Martha Aarons, Lev Polyakin, Frances Renzi

• Nino Rota (1911 - 1979): Trio for Flute, Violin & Piano:
• 1 Rota: Trio for Flute, Violin & Piano: I. Allegro ma non troppo 04:22
• 2 Rota: Trio for Flute, Violin & Piano: II. Andante sostenuto 05:01
• 3 Rota: Trio for Flute, Violin & Piano: III. Allegro vivace con spirito 03:22
• César Cui (1835 - 1918): 5 Petits duos, Op. 56:
• 4 Cui: 5 Petits duos, Op. 56: No. 1, Badinage 03:22
• 5 Cui: 5 Petits duos, Op. 56: No. 2, Berceuse 01:53
• 6 Cui: 5 Petits duos, Op. 56: No. 3, Scherzino 02:01
• 7 Cui: 5 Petits duos, Op. 56: No. 4, Nocturne 02:49
• 8 Cui: 5 Petits duos, Op. 56: No. 5, Waltz 02:42
• Paul Schoenfield (b. 1947): 4 Souvenirs (Version for Violin & Piano):
• 9 Schoenfield: 4 Souvenirs (Version for Violin & Piano): No. 1, Samba 03:07
• 10 Schoenfield: 4 Souvenirs (Version for Violin & Piano): No. 2, Tango 03:45
• 11 Schoenfield: 4 Souvenirs (Version for Violin & Piano): No. 3, Tin Pan Alley 01:58
• 12 Schoenfield: 4 Souvenirs (Version for Violin & Piano): No. 4, Square Dance 03:03
• Jacques Ibert (1890 - 1962): 2 Interludes:
• 13 Ibert: 2 Interludes: No. 1, Andante espressivo 03:35
• 14 Ibert: 2 Interludes: No. 2, Allegro vivo 03:48
• Paul Schoenfield: Last Silence:
• 15 Schoenfield: Last Silence: I. Overture 03:39
• 16 Schoenfield: Last Silence: II. Berceuse 03:23
• 17 Schoenfield: Last Silence: III. Polka 04:10
• 18 Schoenfield: Last Silence: IV. Andalusia 04:58
• 19 Schoenfield: Last Silence: V. Serbia 04:58
• Total Runtime 01:05:56

Info for Last Silence

Performed by the trio for whom it was written, Paul Schoenfield's new composition ""Last Silence"" picks up where ""Cafe Music"" left off. A show stopping tour de force of excitement and emotion. Schoenfield's ""Four Souvenirs"" is finally released here by violinist Lev Polyakin and pianist Frances Renzi, who commissioned the work. Beautiful trios by Rota and Cui round out the album. Paul Schoenfelds music is widely performed and continues to draw an ever-expanding group of fans. According to Juilliards Joel Sachs, he is among those all-too-rare composers whose work combines exuberance and seriousness, familiarity and originality, lightness and depth. His work is inspired by the whole range of musical experience, popular styles both American and foreign, vernacular and folk traditions, and the normal historical traditions of cultivated music making, often treated with sly twists. Above all, he has achieved the rare fusion of an extremely complex and rigorous compositional mind with an instinct for accessibility and a reveling in sound that sometimes borders on the manic.

Martha Aarons, flute
Lev Polyakin, violin
Frances Renzi, piano

Martha Aaron
professional career began with her appointment as principal flute of the North Carolina Symphony, after which she played with the Cleveland Orchestra for 25 years. After becoming a freelancer in 2006, she performed often with the Philadelphia Orchestra. During this time she also appeared as guest principal flute with the Metropolitan Opera, Minnesota Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Mostly Mozart Festival, Jakarta Sinfonia, and the World Orchestra for Peace. Ms. Aarons served as Artist Faculty with the Aspen Music Festival for 19 years and has played in the Grand Teton Festival as well. In May of 2015, she participated in the Cubadisco music festival in Havana, Cuba. She has been soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony, Aspen Chamber Symphony, and Ohio Chamber Orchestra. In 2003 Ms. Aarons performed the Aspen Music Festival premiere of the Flute Concerto by Christopher Rouse. Her CD, The History of the Tango, is recorded on the Azica label. It additionally features pianist Frances Renzi and Grammy-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux.

Lev Polyakin
is a master violinist. At age 21 Lev Polyakin was appointed co-concertmaster of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra. In that position he was regularly featured as soloist, with many of his performances recorded by Melodia. In the U.S. he served as assistant concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra, as well as concertmaster of the American Academy of Conducting in Aspen Music Festival. In 1984 Lev won several prizes in two international violin competitions, Carl Flesch in London and Romanini in Brescia, Italy. In addition to his solo performances with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Mr. Polyakin has appeared as soloist with the London Mozart Players, Royal Philharmonic, and Cleveland Orchestra. Recording credits include Melodia, BBC, National Public Radio, and Decca. He is prominently featured on a CD of the chamber music of Paul Schoenfield, which was nominated for a Grammy.

After being appointed co-concertmaster of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Lev has since gone on to perform with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Aspen Music Festival, the Royal Philharmonic, and his recording credits include Melodia, BBC, NPR and Decca. Mr Polyakin has a special interest in jazz and recorded three CD’s with his group ‘Russian Blue’ including ‘Christmas Kaleidoscope’.

Frances Renzi
has appeared as soloist with many orchestras including those of Dallas, Houston, Toledo, and the New Hampshire Music Festival. She has performed throughout North America, Taiwan, and China, giving recitals in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York, on the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series in Chicago, at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., the National Concert Hall in Taipei and the China Conservatory in Beijing.

An extraordinary chamber player, she frequently collaborates with distinguished artists, and is much in demand as a chamber music performer. She appears regularly as a featured guest artist on the Toledo Symphony Chamber Series and also performs each summer at the New Hampshire Music Festival. She was a founding member of the Toledo Trio at the University of Toledo and performed with them for 27 years.

She has recorded solo and chamber music for Centaur, Educo, Koch International, Musical Heritage Society, Azica, Audite, and Decca/Argo. Her numerous recordings have won critical acclaim and many awards in Europe and the United States. Her recording of 20th century etudes by American composers Ned Rorem, Vincent Persichetti, and George Perle received enthusiastic reviews. Fanfare Magazine described her playing as "...absolutely superb...crystal-like articulation, impeccable rhythmic precision, unflagging energy, and a truly remarkable understanding of these pieces..." Her recording of chamber music of Paul Schoenfield was nominated for a Grammy. Her performances as a soloist and chamber musician have been broadcast on radio and television across the nation including a presentation on National Public Radio's Performance Today.

She was a solo pianist for the New York City Ballet performing Stravinsky's Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra and Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes and participated in the Stravinsky Festival at Lincoln Center.

A native of Texas, she received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Texas and her Master's degree from the Juilliard School where she was a scholarship student of Rosina Lhevinne and Beveridge Webster. An experienced teacher as well as performer, she is Professor Emerita at the University of Toledo. In 2000 she received a commendation from the Ohio Senate honoring her outstanding university career of 27 years.

This album contains no booklet.