The titles for the pieces on this album, such as "The River" and "After Hours," were added after the music was composed, as the quartet believed they would help audiences connect with the music more than traditional Italian tempo terms.
Critical Reception
William Bolcom, a luminary in the music world, described Bruce Wolosoff's music as "beautiful, very musical, independent-minded stylistically" and called the eighteen Songs Without Words "genre busters" for crossing musical borders.
Compositional Technique
For this album, Bruce Wolosoff's compositional process involved jamming along with existing rock and jazz songs on his synthesizer, recording his improvisations, and then editing and refining them into fully composed pieces before notation.
Performer Biography
The Carpe Diem String Quartet, in residence at Ohio Wesleyan University, performs classical repertoire but also incorporates gypsy, tango, folk, pop, rock, and jazz-inspired music into their programs.
Composer Biography
Bruce Wolosoff, the composer, studied classical piano for sixteen years and jazz piano, and his creative life was significantly influenced by an apprenticeship with composer-pianist Jaki Byard.
Composition History
The composer, Bruce Wolosoff, was initially hesitant to write rock and jazz-based music for the Carpe Diem String Quartet, a request from violinist Charles Wetherbee, as he struggled to understand what that meant for his compositional voice.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bruce Wolosoff questioned whether music with a happy aesthetic was less valid than 'serious' music, finding joy in the possibility of writing music his friends might want to listen to for pleasure.
