The Blessed Virgin / Flee Floret Florens / Cantus Contra Cantum III / Two Emily Dickinson Choruses / Along The Edge

Released in 1982 by Composers Recordings, Inc. (CRI), this album serves as a representative artifact of the label's long-standing mission to document contemporary American classical music. During this period, CRI acted as a vital vehicle for composers who lacked the commercial viability to secure interest from major labels. The selection of works highlights the academic and experimental rigor of the New England Conservatory scene, capturing the complex, atonal, and serialist compositions prevalent in mid-century American conservatories.

The album features performances by the New England Conservatory Chorus under the direction of Lorna Cooke deVaron, an influential figure in the performance of choral works by 20th-century composers. The compositions included—ranging from Jacques-Louis Monod’s settings of Emily Dickinson to various solo and ensemble works by Peyton, Ceely, and Barkin—reflect the austere, cerebral aesthetic of the era. The release was received primarily as a scholarly resource for music libraries and specialists interested in the intricacies of American avant-garde vocal and chamber music.