If music grows out of a sense of place, then it follows that related places might have related musics. That idea is the springboard for this album that nods at 400 years of links between two vibrant cities. When the Dutch founded Nieuw Amsterdam in the 17th century, they provided the impetus for the growth of a city that shared many values of its model. The multitude of languages, ethnicities and nationalities, as well as an atmosphere of religious tolerance, made for an astounding uniqueness of the place that would later become New York City. This thread of intense energy connects Amsterdam and New York to this day.

The seven compositions on this album are by composers and performers from these regions and also from other European countries. These cities harbor qualities that we can hear — at least metaphorically — in the music here. The compositions appear like richly-painted pastels in motion; less like landscapes but rather more like intimate, sensual “mindscapes.” Ultimately, these works offer space to reside and celebrate an inner journey, embodying joy, passion and a deep sensitivity towards constant transformation.

From the quirky one-minute miniatures of Frederic Rzewski, and the melancholic bassoon duet of Louis Andriessen, to timbral and rhapsodic voyages – not to mention virtuosic challenges – the Glass Farm Ensemble, led by intrepid pianist/composer Yvonne Troxler, makes the case for keeping one ear on both sides of the musical pond