Modern lovers

Had a first foray into the world of minimalist modern American composers last Tuesday, appropriately enough in the pared –down surroundings of Edinburgh’s Queen’s Hall. Under the expert guidance of the Hebrides Ensemble, the audience was treated to five varied pieces of music composed in the last 100 years.

The first and only one by a female composer was Jennifer Higden’s Smash. It was also the only item on the programme to involve all five musicians - the piece was a crash headlong into the world of modernity.

John Adam’s Road Movie followed. The three movements for violin and piano, were my favourites of the evening. The second movement transported me to the long dead-straight roads through the American desert, before being pulled back into a world of busy-ness. For more on this very interesting artist, check out his blog at www.earbox.com.

Then came Charles Ives’ Piano Trio using cello, violin and piano. Clearly the best-known piece of the programme, it is apparently loaded with references to folk tunes and hymns. As a newbie, most of this bypassed me, as did the ‘joke’ of the second movement which is known as TSIAJ: This Scherzo Is A Joke.

Steve Reich’s Electronic Counterpoint was the next piece – unusual in its use of recordings and loops – think My Bloody Valentine for clarinet. Sadly, this just confirmed that I feel no affinity for woodwind….

Finally was The Voice of the Whale by George Crumb. Written in the 70s and you can tell, the composer unusually provides stage directions – blue light and masks. The techniques seem much more experimental than in the other music of the evening as the flautist sings into her flute as she plays and the piano is strummed. The resultant reverberations are supposed to sound like the humpbacked whale. You can see where they’re coming from… An interesting intro to this eerie wowrld of music.