KALEIDOSCOPE
- John Michael Cooper
- 4 days ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 1 hour ago
An Interview with Isabel Dobarro and Patricia Kleinman
[The interview below was occasioned by the release last October of what I consider one of the most important classical albums of recent years, and certainly the most important one of 2024-25. That album, titled Kaleidoscope (Grand Piano GP944), is an anthology of piano compositions by living women composers – a compilation whose remarkably wide-ranging styles and sheer beauty and intensity, combined with Dobarro’s powerful technique and exquisitely versatile musicianship, make it a milestone and a must-have for all who are not committed to collecting yet more recordings of the same canonical works that have already been recorded dozens of times. While those canonical works possess their own historical and musical beauty, we’re in a world that’s desperately crying out for something new – for a path forward rather than another lap around the canonical block. Our world is crying out for change.
Kaleidoscope offers a glimpse of what a changed future for contemporary classical music might look like; in addition to Dobarro’s superb performances it includes exceptionally rich and compelling liner notes by Patricia Kleinman, a musicologist who’s the founding director of the Proyecto CompositorAs initiative, which is dedicated to the recovery, in publications and in performance, of unpublished works by women composers. So a few weeks ago I asked Dobarro, a pianist, and Kleinman, her principal musicological collaborator, if they would talk with me about this album for purposes of this blog. They graciously consented. The material below is a distillation of that interview.]
JMC: Dr. Dobarro and Dr. Kleinman, I first came to know your collaboration through your 2021 album The Unknown Pauline Viardot (which also featured Anna Tonna and Corina Feldkamp). Three and a half years later, that album remains one of my favorites – but Kaleidoscope seems to double down on the Viardot album’s project of interjecting marginalized women’s voices into the male- and (white-) dominated discourse of today’s musical world. Could you say a few words about the connection (if any) between these two albums and the project(s) they represent?
PK: Thank you so much for having us for this interview, we are delighted and honored!
Indeed, the Viardot album was the beginning of our acquaintance and collaboration between Isabel and myself which has luckily borne more fruit over the years.
I would say there is a strong connection between both projects. Both emphasize the importance of disseminating professional role models and icons for new generations of women composers. It is crucial to showcase the work of female composers (both from past centuries and those currently active) through recordings, concerts, and score publications to ensure accessibility and raise awareness of this valuable source of inspiration for future generations.
When Isabel showed me Kaleidoscope and asked me to write the Preface, I was truly amazed by so many features in it: the playing and interpretation (of course), the concept of the whole album, the repertoire chosen…
The name of the album is significant because it suggests a perspective of equality, free from preconceived notions of centrality vs "otherness." We know that titles are not innocent; they carry ideological implications. For example, in concerts where titles or curations imply the sexualization of female composers—such as using terms like "enchantress" or pairing a female composer’s music with that of a male counterpart—this is a practice that would not occur with male composers.
The same applies to the term "world music," which is paradoxical in that the name (“world”) presents itself as inclusive while being fundamentally restrictive in a geographical and ethnic context. As someone born in the Southern Hemisphere, a place often associated with otherness, I am grateful for the title of this album. It fosters a sense of inclusion and places us all on equal creative ground.
In this album, the musical material does not operate as the inherent "otherness" of World Music; instead, it is part of a normalized classical piano language. For instance, pieces like "Improvisation" by Suad Bushnaq, "Tumbao" by Tania León, and "Etude between Preludes" by Gabriela Ortiz illustrate this concept. The whole album showcases the idea that musical parameters are not interpretations or perspectives of a dominant viewpoint toward the periphery.
Last but not least, Kaleidoscope bridges the gap between two groups of potential listeners: classical music audiences who are rarely exposed to the works of female composers from Non-European countries, -particularly those who utilize "atypical" musical materials-, and individuals familiar with music from other continents but who have limited knowledge of classical music, especially contemporary female composers.
ID: I agree with Patricia’s statements. In fact, I believe it is crucial to emphasize the relevance of both the research and performance of past composers as well as the promotion of living women composers’ works. This combination helps younger generations to find inspiring role models to develop their own careers. Also, it reinforces the connection between the musical creative genius and women. As composer Mercedes Zavala points out very well, only by showcasing relevant women composers from the past and present will we be able to overcome the secular association of the musical creative talent exclusively with men. It is important to celebrate both women and men’s contributions.
JMC: Because classical musicians are overwhelmingly dependent on access to printed and published music, the ability of music that exists only in manuscript / is unpublished to be taken up by other performers, to be taught and studied and then taught to others, is limited; the male- and (white-) dominated music-publishing industry is for this reason able to marginalize women’s music and severely limit its future dissemination even if it’s issued on a beautiful recording (such as Kaleidoscope). Some of the compositions on Kaleidoscope seem to fall into this “unpublished” category. Do you have, or do you know of, any sort of partnership or plans to secure printing and publishing of the not-yet-published compositions (for example, with Furore or Hildegard Publishing) on this album so that they can be performed, studied, and taught by others?
ID: Indeed, particularly with historical women composers, the absence of printed scores is a major issue. When one performs a Beethoven sonata, one may study several editions, compare various recordings and connect with several interpretative traditions. That is not the case with most women composers’ works which are usually preserved in manuscript form only. Thus, the interaction between musicology and performance practice is even more important when working on women composers’ works. In the case of contemporary composers, it is true that, while some of them are published by major publishing houses, that is not the case for a good number of them, particularly those pertaining to younger generations.
PK: Although the editorial world is currently under strain, it is important to mention other long-standing enterprises that advocate for the first publication of female composers’ work. So in addition to Furore and Hildegard, Classical Vocal Reprints/ClarNan by Glendower Jones is especially significant for launching previously unpublished works into the musical market, most of which are not yet recorded. All these publishing houses are essential for creating a more inclusive and diverse musical canon.
JMC: As I understand it, Kaleidoscope was conceived and planned in 2023 and recorded in 2024 as a project that would not only offer (as Dr. Kleinman puts it in the liner notes) “a significant stride toward the normalization of the programming of music composed by women and the integration of contemporary non-European music into the 21st-century musical lexicon,” but also demonstrate the extraordinary power of music to bring people together across the lines that too often separate them. Since then, certain political developments in several countries have stridently messaged a decidedly contrary notion of celebrating division, alterity, and subjugation rather than inclusiveness and equality. While it’s safe to suppose that you hope that those dissenting voices will ultimately yield to the persuasive power of Kaleidoscope’s message, I imagine you might enjoy the chance to rearticulate Kaleidoscope’s message with a particular eye to these more recent political developments. Would you? And if so, what would you say to those of us who are desperately listening to this album and hoping that its vision for our world will ultimately prevail?
PK: I advocate for a classical music landscape that normalizes the creation and recognition of female composer role models, while also expanding the canon to include composers from non-European and non-Northern Hemisphere backgrounds. The canon should not be something that is always created elsewhere and by people who we will never be in terms of ethnicity, gender, or social class.
It's a significant milestone that female composers and non-European musical material are recognized alongside top-tier record labels and exceptional pianists like Isabel Dobarro, always a brave and committed artist.
ID: Music is a space for dialogue that brings people together. It is a tool for building bridges across diferences. This CD shows the beauty of celebrating various traditions and world views. I hope that becomes one of Kaleidoscope's legacies.
JMC: Can you tell us whether there are plans for a Kaleidoscope II?
ID: There are indeed. I am exploring solo, chamber and orchestral repertoires, since it is very important for me to highlight women’s contributions in all of them. Also, the more artists can join this approach and discover this extraordinary work the more we will advance towards gender equality in the classical music world.
JMC: Is there anything else you'd like to say to readers – either about Kaleidoscope or about anything else?
ID: I love this question. I would add that the featured composers belong to different generations. Thus, Kaleidoscope is not only a dialogue between different cultures but also across generations, which I believe is enriching and relevant.
PK: I would like to encourage Kaleidoscope listeners to fully engage in their listening experience and explore the many possibilities in piano playing, in which Isabel Dobarro excels. Kaleidoscope is a true homage to the piano, showcasing its endless array of colors, articulations, and atmospheres.
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Kaleidoscope is available from Grand Piano, through all major music vendors, and on all major streaming services.
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