Starobin presents music for guitar and voice; guitar and piano; guitar, violin and viola; and, for guitar plus voice and chamber group. He originally performed Smith’s Steps, a poem setting for guitar and soprano, at age 23 with the composer in attendance. Variations on a Theme by Carl Nielsen takes a well-known song by Nielsen through 8 variations for guitar and piano, including a shimmering 3rd variation, a jaunty waltz, with microtonal guitar inflections scattered throughout. Four Stevens, composed by Starobin’s brother, sets to music for guitar and baritone poems by Wallace Stevens re the four seasons. The Girl from Yerevan melds Armenian classical music (e.g., think the Fire Dance of Aram Khachaturian) and Bossa nova for guitar, violin and viola. Oh, Mother is a chamber reduction of an aria from an opera whose libretto was written by Starobin and his wife. Here, the heroine, Princess Lyra, vows to seek out her lost brothers in accord with her mother’s dying wish. One has to enjoy 12-tone scale harmonies to enjoy these works; diatonic (7-tone, Baroque to Romantic) harmonies are rare except in the Nielsen theme variations.

1. Greg Smith. Steps (10:02). Strident, then assertive, wriggling, narrative, jazzy finish.
2. William Bland. Variation On A Theme By Carl Nielsen. (15:02). Upbeat tune, harmonious, enjoyable variations.
3. Michael Starobin. Four Stevens. I. The House Was Quiet and The World Was Calm (4:33). Somber, minor key, mildly dissonant
4. Four Stevens II. Autumn Refrain (2:29). Busy guitar, sad baritone narrative.
5. Four Stevens III. The Snow Man (3:39). Definitely cold, minimal guitar.
6. Four Stevens IV. Not Ideas About The Thing But The Thing Itself (4:24). Contemplative. Off key melody.
7. Paul Chihara. The Girl from Yerevan (13:50). Dramatic, saucy attitude, flirtatious last quarter.
8. Poul Ruders. Oh Mother (5:05). Serious soprano vows, accompanied by sad strings.