While definitely more transparent and smoother around the edges than this composer’s other recent recording, Tam Lin, this reading by Quatuor Bozzini of Martin Arnold’s work is equally brilliant, articulating his amblingly weightless melodies with clean precision. The sober and delicate performance allows Arnold’s unique talents as a string composer to speak with utter clarity,Continue reading “Martin Arnold. Aberrare.”
Genre Archives
John Luther Adams. Four Thousand Holes.
If minimalist music is like lying back in the grass, waiting and noticing as the stars appear one by one, then the titular piece of John Adam’s latest CD, Four Thousand Holes, could be said to keep rolling back that moment to the appearance of the first star, repeating richly the significance of the singleContinue reading “John Luther Adams. Four Thousand Holes.”
Vancouver New Music Festival. Scotiabank Dance Centre, Vancouver, B.C. October 21–23
The Vancouver New Music Festival, under the artistic direction of Giorgio Magnanensi, is known for inviting performers from the breadth of the contemporary art world, featuring emerging artists alongside international celebrities, the whole lot unapologetically challenging the audience with demanding performances. In presenting such a wide range of artists, the festival often evokes controversy. “IContinue reading “Vancouver New Music Festival. Scotiabank Dance Centre, Vancouver, B.C. October 21–23”
Flow Festival. Helsinki, Finland. August 13–15, 2010.
Since its inception in 2003, Helsinki’s Flow Festival has become a major highlight of the Finnish music calendar. This year’s seventh edition certainly didn’t disappoint. Perfect summer weather, a unique urban site, top-notch programming, and careful execution combined to create excellent reviews and a record-breaking 50,000-plus attendance. While Flow’s programming is decidedly varied—genres ranged fromContinue reading “Flow Festival. Helsinki, Finland. August 13–15, 2010.”
Various Artists. The NYFA Collection: 25 Years of New York New Music.
“New York was incredibly rich, although I felt that everything was very centered,” said composer John Morton in an interview with American Mavericks. “There was a certain school here and a certain school there and you could expect this here and could expect this there and because it’s so big and there’s so much musicContinue reading “Various Artists. The NYFA Collection: 25 Years of New York New Music.”
Madawaska Quartet. Prefab.
This long-awaited CD debut by the Madawaska Quartet reinforces the ensemble’s place as a powerful triple threat in the new music scene. Threat one is the ensemble’s surprising aptitude for developing ear-pleasing new repertoire. The results can be heard here in two world premières: Mike Kane’s openly expressionistic Three Short Seasons and Bruce Russell’s AfricanContinue reading “Madawaska Quartet. Prefab.”
Electric Eclectics 5. The Funny Farm, Meaford, Ontario. July 30–August 1, 2010.
True to its moniker, Electric Eclectics is more than just a head-spinningly diverse festival of modern music. It’s also a truly eclectic experience. Equal parts experimental music festival, bush party, camping trip, participatory art happening, and gathering of lovable misfits, EE is a one-of-a-kind event. In five short years, it has become a must-see summerContinue reading “Electric Eclectics 5. The Funny Farm, Meaford, Ontario. July 30–August 1, 2010.”
Sound Symposium XV. St. John’s, Newfoundland. July 2–10, 2010.
Sound Symposium XV offered up in equal portions traditional concerts, sound installations, urban music, and everything in between. The festival itself became a nine-day art event, greater than the sum of its parts, and for that, the curatorial team deserves to be applauded. For the duration of the festival, the whole city became an auditorium,Continue reading “Sound Symposium XV. St. John’s, Newfoundland. July 2–10, 2010.”
Linda Catlin Smith. Ballad.
Something about Linda Catlin Smith’s music has always struck me as paradoxical. On the one hand, her work is irrefutably about tone colour, yet her focus on melody and her avoidance of extended techniques undermines this impression. Her work also comes off with the utmost clarity, as each idea and statement is presented patiently, andContinue reading “Linda Catlin Smith. Ballad.”
Terry Riley. Autodreamographical Tales.
Over, under, and through Terry Riley’s undeniable influence and worth, lies his whimsy. Some of his pieces make heavier use of humour than others, but a lighthearted view of the multiverse and a reverence for mutability has marked his style over more than forty years of prominence as a composer. Audiodreamographical Tales, consists of twoContinue reading “Terry Riley. Autodreamographical Tales.”