Legend (1959)

Legend is one of Andrew Imbrie's most lyrical creations. Its melodic and sensuous appeal makes Legend a good place to start for those who haven't yet discovered this wonderful composer -- an artist of commensurate originality, expressiveness, and depth to such others of his generation as Lutoslawski, Dutilleux, and Carter. No one surpasses Imbrie in synthesizing transparency, lapidary detail, timbral sensitivity, rhythmic suppleness, density of idea, and perfection of form. Yet for all the intricacy and chromatic richness of his music, its emotional impact is warm, humane, imbued with a thoughtful nostalgia and autumnal serenity all his own. There is joy, sweetness, wisdom, nobility, mystery, and grandeur in this music, but never excess. In language Imbrie's music is not distant from Berg's, but in spirit it is closer to Mozart's.