Publicized by the label as "progressive classical,"
Daniel Asia's music may be more accurately described as accessibly modernist, defined as a sophisticated blending of neo-Romantic lyricism and traditional tonality with advanced techniques and some improvisational operations, discreetly borrowed from the avant-garde and free jazz. Excluding his Piano Sonata, perhaps his most imposing solo work, this 2005 Summit release covers
Asia's other instrumental works from a 25-year period, so dated by the outer movements of The Alex Set for oboe (1971, 1996), and including Orange for viola and Dream Sequence I for trombone (both 1976), Plum-DS II for flute or multiple flutes (1977), and Marimba Music (1983). Since
Asia's tone is usually more poetic than dramatic, and his approach more exploratory than confrontational, there are few disturbing moments in these instrumental reveries, beyond a startling multiphonic here or an abrasive multistop there. The predominance of single lines, however simple or elaborate, tends to make
Asia's music somewhat rarefied and meditative, and this is particularly effective in the expressive performance of Orange by violist
Hong-Mei Xiao. Oboist
Alex Klein, flutist
Robert Dick, marimbist Paul Fadoul, and trombonist Benny Sluchin deliver meticulous and evocative readings of their respective pieces, and their polished playing is quite enjoyable in the ideally resonant acoustic.