RECORDINGS

Born in Philadelphia in 1960, Kernis is one of the younger composers determined to write music that communicates. This disc reflects opposite poles of temperament--despair and exultation. Movement subtitles--”Alarm,” “Air / Ground” and “Barricade”--point the Second Symphony toward despair over war and inhumanity. The other works--”Musica Celestis” and “Invisible Mosaic III”--declare transcendent intentions. Therein lies the rub. The music indicates experience more than it gives us one. Maybe more vigor from Wolff would help. He sounds very methodical. But we start thinking that Sibelius and even John Corigliano wrote better symphonies; that Respighi responded to religious art a long time ago and was the better orchestrator. Then in the closing measures of “Mosaic,” Kernis whomps up a tremendous affirmation of an E-flat major chord. It’s pretty thrilling, but it’s a long road getting there.