Concertino: for two cellos and string orchestra
Dream and Echoes: for a cappella choir
Two Pieces for Guitar
Prelude and Toccata: for solo cello
Three Songs: for tenor and piano
Adagio and Allegro: for violin and two violas
Of Summers Past, or Passing: for clarinet and piano
Third Delphic Hymn: for solo viola
Three Pieces for Orchestra:
- By Moonlight
- Tempest
- Serenade

Entertainment lawyer by day and composer by night, the music of American composer Jeremy Beck (b. 1960) is nothing if not versatile and yet comfortingly rooted in tradition. The music on this CD is a compilation of works from his past and present, spanning a period of about 35 years. Some of it is blatantly American in style and sound, like the second movement of his Concertino for two cellos in which I can't help but hear the influence of Aaron Copland. On the other hand, his Adagio and Allegro for violin and two violas seems closer to circa 1910 Austria. He seems to attach a distinctively individual compositional technique to each and every different instrument or group of instrumental or vocal forces he writes for. All in all, when listened to from start to finish the end result is a mixed-bag of assorted sweets whose flavors don't blend well with each other. But when approached individually and absorbed one by one, some of these flavors are very satisfying. And I'm sure the solo musicians these pieces were intended for appreciate the quality of the "new" music they get to play.

Some of the highlights for me are the Echoes of a Young Poet's Dream from Dream and Echoes, performed impeccably here by the vocal ensemble The First Readings Project. It's harmonically rich dissonances pull you into a dark fog that magically lifts once you hear the goosebump inducing final chord. Also admirable are his orchestration skills made apparent in the Three Pieces for Orchestra in which different threads manifest themselves simultaneously and request your attention. All in all Jeremy Beck's music is of an upbeat nature and each of his works, when quarantined, can pull you in. There's too many to list here, but all the musicians involved in these seperate recordings deliver expressive interpretations of each work at hand. Next time it would be nice to hear a CD devoted strictly to orchestral works, or songs. 2013 saw the release of his String Quartets for example.