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Musical Reviews and Articles about James V. Signorile
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Press reviews:
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1999:
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June 28, 1999 - Rochester NY :
A review by the 'New Music World' magazine on a performance of my Christmas Carol
"I Saw A Light" on Monday June 28, 1999 in Rochester NY by Carson P. Cooman and
friends at a concert program called "Christmas in June: 20th Century Christmas Carols" :
"The next offering was a brief carol by James V. Signorile on a text which he found in
a 'long forgotten book.' The setting is simple and while it did not have the harmonic
complexities and originalities of some of the other carols, notably the Davies and Paulus
offerings, it had its own charm in its simplicity and clarity of traditional expression.
Notably, it was one of the only works on the program whose tune was simple enough for
me to come away singing it."
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July 4, 1999 - Rochester NY :
A review by the 'New Music World' magazine on a performance of my Piano Suite
"Corona Suite for Piano" on Sunday July 4, 1999 in Rochester NY by Carson P. Cooman
at a private piano performance :
"The first time I ran into Signorile's music was only a few days before at a
Christmas carol concert. This piano suite, though more complex, was still
infused with what I believe might be Signorile's trademark simplicity. It
was really a remarkable piece in that it managed to feel baroque, romantic,
and contemporary all at the same time.
Mr. Signorile conveys his message through simple presentation. He says what he
has to say and then "shuts up." I wish more composers would do that. I would
definitely enjoy another hearing of this piece."
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2000:
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March 26, 2000 - Canada :
A review of my "Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 53" by Harold Roberts,
Freelance Classical Music Reviewer (for a number of major publications) :
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"REVIEW
James V. Signorile - "Piano Concerto No. 1" (1999)
The first piano concerto by James Signorile is one of the most maddening
enigmas to cross my desk in some time. Maddening in that it is very hard to
figure out what to say about it or how to treat it. This is, in large part,
because the work can been seen in a variety of different ways -- all of
which give vastly different looks at its merits.
It is in three movement, clocking in at about 30 minutes total. It is
styllistically not quite like anything I have ever encountered before. I
would propose the coining of a new term to describe Signorile's style --
"Romantic minimalism." The work consists, in general, of a series of
melodies which are repeated over and over again with various changes in
orchestrations and occasional changes in the texture and filligree. After
one theme has been used up, a new one is presented and the same treatment
happens over and over again. There is no development and, in this way, I am
reminded of the minimalists. The minimalist connection is further cemented
by occasional extended passages which have the trademark "whirring ostinato"
of minimalism that sounds, for all the world, like Philip Glass or early
John Adams. The melodies presented are rather traditional -- some sound
almost like spoofs on famous music. The first movement's primary theme
sounds like a national anthem. The third movement's opening theme is almost
identical to the theme of Mouret's "Rondeau." The best moments come in the
middle of the first movement when a joyous bouncy theme is presented.
However, the work cannot be classified as "staight minimalism" because it
shared gestures common with many Romantic concertos. The harmonic path is
simple, but not so simple as that in minimalist music. Furthermore, the
minimalist harmonic patterns often bear a resemblance to popular music
progressions. Signorile's work has none of this.
It is this bizarre styllistic dichotomy that makes this work so difficult to
understand. With the more cynical way of looking at it, it is a hack piece,
written by somebody who comes up with some good (if derivative ideas) tunes,
repeats them until they don't have any more use, and then discards them for
the next tune which comes along. The other approach is the see it as a
significant statement -- perhaps a commentary on musical styles and Romantic
piano concertos.
What is strange is that, from looking at the musical material, the work
shouldn't be original at all. However, for some reason it is. Do I like it
? My response would be a reserved "yes." It is the kind of work that bodes
well after one hearing. The initial effect is lost after continual hearings
and the weaknesses of this style begin to show.
However, Signorile's approach to his "Romantic minimalism" is definitely an
experiment that deserves future exploration. I look forward to his
continuing efforts. In this day and age, it's certainly hard to have an
original voice. Signorile has made his journey doubly difficult by deciding
to work in such a traditional harmonic medium. He has, perhaps, suceeded in
the development of his own voice."
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