New music by composers Bishay and McKinley performed by the Moravian Philharmonic and the Silesian Philharmonic Orchestra.

THE MUSIC OF PATRIK BISHAY & WILLIAM THOMAS MCKINLEY features 3 epic works by these renowned and acclaimed composers of modern classical music.

McKinley's dramatic and explosive "Viola Concerto No. 2" asserts itself with the composer's trademark aplomb - deft interplay between the soloist (the always sterling Karen Dreyfus) and orchestra, beguiling solos, frantic call-and-response interludes, brash harmonies, and a large, overarching compositional integrity. Clocking in at 26:18 over three movements, this is surely one of McKinley's major works.

Bishay's FRAMEWORKS X is a programmatic piece reflecting the class struggle, political discourse, and social temperature of early 21st century Germany. It is also a highly musical exploration of chaos and control with a technical element that will delight the finely tuned ear.

SINFONIE NO. 2, the last piece on the CD and the second contribution from Bishay, is the composer's second symphony. Bishay's textbook fragmented melodicism, distributive logic, and strong sense of texture are all on display in this expansive and austere work, in which the composer yet again pushes the bounds and limits of tonality.

Bishay's works are performed here by the Moravian Philharmonic with longtime MMC collaborator Vit Micka conducting. McKinley's work features the Silesian Philharmonic Orchestra (Jerzy Swoboda, conductor) and soloist Karen Dreyfus (viola).