Continuum in Review
Continuum in Review Northern Exposures II: Canadian New Music—The Trailblazers Americas Society December 13, 2010
Left to right: R. Murray Schafer, John Weinzweig, Ann Southam, Claude Vivier, Barbara Pentland, Gilles Tremblay, Diana McIntosh
In the second concert of a series featuring Canadian music, Continuum went back into time to present music from an older generation (works mostly from the 70’s and 80’s) and entitled the program “The Trailblazers”. (The first concert in this series featured Canada’s more contemporary composers.) This program—like the first—did not disappoint, as the music was gripping, daring or sweetly pastoral; and it was once again varied, enlightening and well-prepared.
The concert opened with harpist Bridget Kibbey’s magnificent performance of R. Murray Schafer’s “The Crown of Ariadne”. The work, which asks the harpist to play percussion in addition to the usual duties, was as captivating as the performance itself; it was innovative from start to finish. Barbara Pentland’s Caprice for solo piano was short but sweet—superbly rendered by pianist Cheryl Seltzer. Next on the program was John Weinzweig’s monumental “Trialogue” for soprano, flute and piano. Although composed without any sense of real tonality (whispers, laughter and shrieking abound), this entertaining theater piece laced with psychological undercurrents engages the audience as well as a classic Broadway show. The audience loved the performance, which was presented in a memorable comic-dramatic style by soprano Mary Mackenzie, flutist Fiona Kelly and Pianist Joel Sachs.
Ann Southam, who sadly passed away about two weeks prior to this performance, wrote a haunting piano quintet seemingly in her own memory, as its hypnotic and tender opening piano chords seem to ring in eternity. Seltzer did a lovely job of letting the music speak simply and lie in its own serenity. The work fades repeatedly as it began, but in the middle, the string writing is contrapuntally complex, and violist Stephanie Griffin, violinists Renee Jolles and David Fulmer, and cellist Claire Bryant played with technical finesse and commitment.
Diana McIntosh’s appealing and more conventional “Nanuk” was a workout for violist Griffin—who played it with conviction and superb command of the instrument, while Gilles Tremblay’s “Cedres en voiles—Threne pour le liban” is much more cutting edge modernity—with marvelous effects for the solo cello. It was played brilliantly by Bryant. Claude Vivier’s “Pulau dewata” for variable ensemble—this time in an arrangement for piano trio by Henry Kucharzyk—is completely original in concept and material.
With this marvelous program of Canadian composers, Continuum has once again proven that we should be more and more exposed to the music of the North.
