Harbison: “The Flight into Egypt”; “The Natural...

Harbison: “The Flight into Egypt”; “The Natural World”; Concerto for Double Brass Choir and Orchestra. Cantata Singers and Ensemble conducted by David Hoose with soprano Roberta Anderson and baritone Sanford Sylvan; Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group conducted by John Harbison with mezzo Janice Felty; Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Andre Previn. New World Records 80395-2 (compact disc). Sanford Sylvan is at his suave-voiced best in the darkling lyric moods of “The Flight into Egypt,” the piece that won the Pulitzer for Harbison, but the recording leaves the chorus in the dim sonic background. The other works--each recorded in a different place--fare better in production, and the performances--based on live local concerts--carry Harbison’s expressive, formally inventive, rythmically pointed music with telling elan.