David Chesky (b. 1956) is an American pianist, composer, producer, arranger and co-founder of the independent audiophile label Chesky Records. His style is eclectic, drawing on both classical and jazz sources. For his Three Spanish Songs (2004), soprano Maureen McKay sings in English, accompanied by the Orchestra of the 21st Century. The singing style often borrows from the speech-song style of Arnold Schoenberg and its expressive use of passing dissonances, is enriched by timbres and ringing tones in degrees of percussion, including hands clapping. The constant use of pizzicato (plucked) strings marks “The Girl from Guatemala.” “Sonnet No. 5” invokes a mystical aura, with harp, bells, flute, and glissando (sliding) sonorities. An impassioned love song, the Sonnet speaks of love and death. The Romance of Love invokes musical sounds we know from both Manuel de Falla and Carl Orff. Brightly colored, the piece conveys a sense of joy, even in the knowledge of love’s pains.