| Whether working in pop or the classical idiom, Frank Lee Sprague is king. |
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Frank Lee Sprague
Concerto for Violin with Orchestra
Wichita Falls (2006)
Working in the classical idiom, as Frank Lee Sprague is so often doing these days, the taller Sprague brother brings the same level of commitment he applies to his work in the Merseybeat, rock 'n' roll and rockabilly genres.
A dedicated, exacting ear for excellence fuels Sprague's latest classical release. Admittedly, what I know about classical music can fit on the head of a pin, but I do know what I like, and I get the same feeling from Sprague's classical creations that I do from his pop output. Whether rocking or orchestrating, Sprague remains true to the spirit of his compositions, letting them play out naturally, never complicating them with false honesty, preferring instead to inject all manner of color and substance.
To my ears, Concerto for Violin with Orchestra sounds like grand film music, and that is how I approached it as I listened to, and enjoyed, it. In my mind's eye, I can see scenes from a movie unfolding as Sprague's classical themes carry the story along. As the best music does, Sprague's concerto breathes life into a tale that unfolds in its own time and at its own pace. Every measure shapes images, elicits feeling, increases expectation. And so the three movements that comprise this work in E flat Major progress, on the way toward the soothing, romantic passages that close out the third movement, Allegro Assai.
Played with emotive fervor on keyboards and violin by Sprague--an amazing feat by any standard--Concerto for Violin with Orchestra is a tremendous work, born from beauty and grace, whose life will only bloom brighter when played by a world-class, live orchestra. Conductors, take note.
I always wonder how compositions come to life; the process of musical creation is fascinating to me. This glorious work can only have come from a mind that is constantly whirling. Sprague's work, his lifeblood, is consistently rewarding, and this CD is proof.
Alan Haber
April 2, 2006
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