Collected Works of Beth Mehocic Rocks

This release presents a portrait of Beth Mehocic, a composer with a clear vision. The recordings come from a variety of sources, performed by various artists.

Her official bio describes her as "a composer, poet, visual artist, filmmaker, and author." She's the composer-in-residence for the University of Nevada's Dance Department. 

Her affinity for dance defines her style. The works here all have a strong sense of rhythm. And they're mostly episodic in their organization.

This is most apparent in two of the works. "Piece by Piece" was written for Erick Hawkins Dance Company. "Left of Winter" was composed for the University of Nevada's Dance Department.

 In both cases, the music flows from one scene to the next. And in both cases, they form a cohesive whole

The earliest work featured is Mehocic's 1974 Concerto for Piano and Orchestra. She composed it at age 21, and revised it in 2016. To my ears, it flirts with Romanticism, while still maintaining a contemporary edge.

The soloist for that recording is Charlene Farrugia. Her husband is accordionist Franko Bozac. Conversations with Mehocic after the recording led to her composing a work for both of them. 

The Tango Concerto is for piano, accordion, bandoneon, and orchestra.  Both Farrugia and Bozac appear as soloists. To me, this is a much more successful work. 

Perhaps it's because the work's based on dance. Plus I found it a refreshing alternative to Astor Piazzola's music for the bandoneon.

The performances are all quite good -- especially Farrugia and Bozac's. Mehocic's compositions are music in motion. And I was glad to go along for the ride.

Beth Mehocic: Collected Works
Moravian Philharmonic Chamber Players: Stanislav Vavinek, conductor
Trio Casals; Altus Quartet
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra; Jiri Petrdik, conductor
Charlene Farrugia, piano; Franko Bozac, accordion & bandoneon
Zagreb Festival Orchestra; Ivan Josip Skender, conductor
Navona NV6410