MEYER KUPFERMAN

His Faust Concerto, a tone poem for Horn and Orchestra, tells the classic tale of Dr. Faustus with a highly programmatic score. Kupferman’s music is infused with numerous influences, including jazz and film scores. These both serve the Faust Concerto well, the horn’s quotation of “All the Things You Are” a strange referential testimony to Mephisto’s charismatic spell on the Doctor. The overall mood of the Concerto is eerily reminiscent of film noir scores. “Among the Windy Places” was commissioned by the Bronx Arts Ensemble in 1994. Kupferman’s orchestration makes this sparse trio sound like a larger ensemble, assisted by an excellent bassoon performance by B.A.E. director William Scribner.