Navona Live release Indiana Collectanea, which celebrates and preserves composer Michael G. Cunningham’s residency at Indiana University School of Music from 1969-1973. This live recording of Cunningham’s work comes on the heels of his acclaimed album Ecumenical Spirit from Navona Live earlier this year. This latest release captures a significant moment in time, when Cunningham’s work helped channel the talents of 30 burgeoning musicians...

In Indiana Collectanea, composer Michael G. Cunningham expands his palette beyond traditional tonality, painting with chromatic, timbral, and rhythmic nuances.

I have to come clean, straight away. I'm not the biggest fan of modern classical music that throws conventional form and structure out of the window. Michael G. Cunningham's contribution to the genre is varied. He has delivered some incredibly beautiful work over the years (Ecumenical Spirit, Mezzanine Seat) as well as atonal works (An Arc of Quartets). And the music on Indiana Collectanea is just not my thing. Call me old fashioned, but I don't like keeping my hand hovering over the volume control in case a loud shrill squeak comes belting out of the wind section, or if the scratchy off key sound of a violin makes we wince like someone has just dragged their fingernails down a blackboard.

Historically, Indiana Collectanea, is of importance to those who studied under the composer's residency at Indiana University School of Music between 1969-1973. It will also find a welcome home in the music library of those who love to see traditional form swept away and like to hear instruments making sounds that are not commonly associated with them. It's a sort of freeform sounding jazz-based classical music album.

While I didn't go a bundle on it, those who love to step away from tradition, are more adventurous in their musical exploration, will find this entertaining.

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Darren Rea