JEFFREY LEISER (b. circa 1980): The Summit - Symphony in Four Movements.

Description: Leiser is primarily a composer for film and TV and it shows in this attractive, accessible and undemanding, thoroughly tonal 'symphony'. Which is by no means to suggest that the work is anything less than impressive or immaculately crafted or that it is devoid of memorable ideas or melodic invention. The composer relates that as a child the ideas of infinity and Heaven terrified him, leading to an abiding interest in the theories of 19th-century mathematician Georg Cantor with his rational approach to the philosophical question of infinity, and the metaphorical ascent to the 'summit' of the title symbolizes striving to come to terms with the unknowable. Leiser's themes are flowing, romantic melodies; drama is supplied by propulsive rhythmic insistence, ostinati and occasional flirtations with the patterns and chord sequences of Glassian minimalism. The usual romantic to mid-20th century suspects who provide Hollywood with inspiration are invoked to a greater or lesser extend, and Leiser's idiom has a definite American-ness of accent, a Coplandish outdoorsyness - actually closer to Moross in terms of what it actually sounds like. A big, extrovert piece of cinematic sweep, orchestrated in bold technicolor, very easy to enjoy. Summit Session Orchestra; Harrison Hollingsworth.