American composer Aaron Jay Kernis has received many awards, including the Pulitzer Prize. The latest release of his music, the beguiling “Three Flavors” (on Naxos) is further evidence of his talent. Those who think they don’t like contemporary music should give this a try. Kernis’s work, usually labeled neo-romantic, is both eclectic and imaginative, suggesting his influences without descending into mimicry.
“Three Flavors” is a work for piano and orchestra. The soloist on the recording is Andrew Russo, who has long been a champion of Kernis’s music, and he is accompanied by the Albany Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Alan Miller.
The work was conceived as an aural tasting of different cuisines.
