Late-Summer Update

9/15/16 – ICE at the Library – Collecting Anna Thorvaldsdottir
9/17/16 – Norman Dee, flute, Josephine Chan Yung, piano
9/19/16 – repco360 – Works in Progress

ICE (the International Contemporary Ensemble), at the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts, presented two works by Anna Thorvaldsdottir:
Transitions (2015), for solo cello, and Sequences (2016) world premiere, for bass flute, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone, and contrabassoon (subtitled, by me, “How Low Can You Go?”).

Often, when I hear a contemporary piece, I’ll post, “But I wouldn’t seek it out again.” Well, ICE took that option off the table. After Transitions, which I rather enjoyed, the host had a brief conversation/Q&A with the cellist, who commented on the composer’s use of broad, sustained lines, with little secondary inputs within the overall framework. Then the cellist played it again!

A herky-jerky, recorded (via Sk- y -pe) interview with the com- po -ser, stated that her music had broad lines, with secondary inputs within the overall framework (hmm, sounds familiar). We then heard Sequences. It had broad lines, with secondary inputs within the overall framework. After the Q&A with the quartet, I left. I did not need a second hearing; I did not need a second hearing of the first piece, for that matter.

The Flute & Piano concert held a little bit more interest for me:

Sonata in E minor, for Flute and Continuo, BWV 1034 – Adagio ma non tanto, Allegro, Andante, Allegro – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Introduction and Rondo – Friedrich D. R. Kuhlau (1786–1832)
Kleine Suite für Flöte Allein – Improvisation (Ruhig), Tanz (Schnell), Theme mit Variationen (Mässig Langsam) – Hugo Kauder (1888–1972)
Sonate, Opus 36 pour Violon & Piano (Transcription pour Flute & Piano par l’auteur) – Allegretto, Allegretto tranquillo, Andante non troppo/Allegro un poco agitato – Gabriel Pierné (1863–1937)

Kuhlau and Kauder were new to me, while Pierné was vaguely familiar. The Bach opened quite gently, almost plaintive yet very pretty, with varied rhythms and ranges, especially for the flute. The second movement was jaunty and bright, with a hint of perpetual motion. The third was gentle again, with less of that plaintive quality. The final movement was brisk, to the point of almost frantic (as in I wasn’t quite sure they would make it to the end, but they did).

The Kuhlau had fuller writing for the piano (indeed it was used as continuo in the Bach—a drier, lighter sound and compositional style), with a nice back and forth between flute and piano. In the Rondo proper, there were many ripples in both the flute and the piano. Alas, there was a mini-train wreck, and after stopping, the players resumed without any further problems. It finished with lots of pyrotechnics.

The Kauder showed the solo flute to good advantage, with a combination of flowing phrases, repeated sections, lively in a folk tune way in the first two movements. My notes said that it was like a showpiece that’s not too showy. The last movement had a somber theme, and variations that were subtle and interesting.

The Pierné was reminiscent of Debussy to me, though the program notes cited Fauré. It opened with rippling accompaniment to a rather jaunty flute tune, with some added touches of dramatic writing, in style as well as rhythmically and with volume shifts, though the first movement was a bit on the lengthy side. The second movement had interesting dance-like figures in both piano and flute, like a modern-ish waltz. The final movement included an introductory phrase with a few mildly dissonant harmonies, followed by a quick-tempo section with driving rhythms—virtuosic for both flute and piano. After a slower section, it went back to brisk, and then headlong into a rush to the end.

The folks at 360repco offered up two readings of plays that were works in progress. In fact, both were not completely written, so we were the equivalent of human guinea pigs. Sherry Bokser's With the Best of Intentions, presents a fairly dysfunctional family dealing with family drama, obsessions and possible sexual abuse. I say possible, because the play has not yet been completed.

Thom Fogarty's patient lover friend is a new take on the response to the ever-present AIDS crisis—from various viewpoints. Both works had very strong writing, and the cast that doubled in both plays (after having only one table reading before Monday's public reading) performed quite well. There was a brief Q&A session after each reading that took a bit of time to get off the ground, but I get the feeling that both authors got some interesting feedback.

Well that's the summer roundup—let the fall season begin!

ConcertMeister