The Dwight and Ursula Mamlok Prize for Interpreters of Contemporary Music Concert Featuring the 2021 winners in Review
InfraSound: Luke Paulino, countertenor; Stefanie Proulx, flutes; Yoshi Weinberg, flutes;
Bradley Frizzell, clarinet; Giancarlo Latta, violin; Dudley Raine IV, viola; Austin Philemon, piano; Hunter Somogie, electric guitar
TAK Ensemble: Laura Cocks, flutes; Madison Greenstone, clarinets; Marina Kifferstein, violin; Ellery Trafford, percussion; Charlotte Mundy, voice
Tenri Cultural Institute, New York, NY
November 13, 2021
I can safely assert that the state of contemporary music in New York is vibrant and enthusiastic, as represented by the winners of the Dwight and Ursula Mamlok Prize: InfraSound and the TAK Ensemble. Ursula Mamlok, a legendary pedagogue for decades, principally at The Manhattan School of Music, was also represented on the program by each ensemble. Perhaps ironically, her works, dating from 1961 and 1967, proved to be the strongest musically. As Mamlok often said, all the explanation in the world won’t help the listener coming to the work for the first time. They must be able to perceive the emotional content, as projected through rise, fall, climax, and proportion.
While the music on the program may have been somewhat uneven, the performances were excellent throughout, with tight ensemble and excellent partner communication. This event was diverse from the standpoints of race, gender, and sexual identity. The first half was consecrated to InfraSound, the second half to the TAK Ensemble.
The concert began with Mamlok’s Variations for solo flute (1961), superbly played by transgender flutist Yoshi Weinberg, who was also represented later as composer. This was Mamlok’s first 12-tone composition, and you could hear her rigorous training, however she sported with the row (and its many permutations), never allowing it to become didactic. Her sense of proportion kept the length to just over seven minutes, long enough to enjoy without overstaying its welcome.
Next came Julius Eastman’s 1974 work, JoyBoy, for voice, 2 flutes, and violin. Eastman is undergoing something of a renaissance recently, thanks to the rediscovery of a large cache of compositions. He was a multi-talented composer, pianist, vocalist, and dancer, co-founder of the important S.E.M. Ensemble, among many accomplishments. He was also black and queer, which was difficult for him within his community. Sadly, he became dependent on drugs and then homeless (hence the loss of his manuscripts), dying at age 49. JoyBoy is a celebration of the possibilities of a single note, E, that expands into chords or contracts into itself. It was beautifully done.
Though I can’t name every performer in InfraSound (“below” sound), I must single out the work of counter-tenor Luke Paulino, capable of myriad colors and unfazed by any score, no matter how difficult.
Yoshi Weinberg (they/them) was then featured as composer with their 2020 work Infravize, a largely improvised work, and the first time I have encountered an accordion in a chamber music concert. I imagine that after a year-and-a -half of Zoom rehearsing and performing, playing together in person must have seemed a relief. Their ensemble was perfect, even with the loose structure of improvisation.
Vasily Ratmansky was born in 1998. He is not a medieval Russian Grand Prince, despite his bio. He also gets the award for longest title: “I think maybe the shape of new music yet to come? I’m not 100% sure though, since I am a new music composer and I don’t really know what shape new music has” used to be the title of the piece, but now my mouth is open and speaking isn’t what I want to do right now. This work is hot off the manuscript and was a world premiere. Unfortunately, as with much contemporary music dependent on technology, said technology doesn’t always behave. Although Ratmansky seems like an ironic commentator, it was hard to tell where the computer woes ended and the piece began, so to speak. The commitment of all involved was vivid however.
After intermission, David Bird’s Series Imposture (2012) was given an excellent, haunting rendition. Charlotte Mundy’s vocalism was wonderful. This piece is a musical transposition of a bizarre psychological experiment in which test subjects faked auditory hallucinations in order to gain admission to psychiatric hospitals, where they were diagnosed, medicated, and not allowed to leave (even though they were fine).
More Mamlok followed, in the shape of her Haiku Variations (1967). The short poetry brought forth brief musical responses from the composer, icy waves, seagull, nightingale, sparrow, etc. Mundy and the ensemble were superb.
Two excerpts (Casida de las palomas oscuras & Arqueros) from the song cycle Love, Crystal, and Stone (2017) by Iranian composer Ashkan Bezahdi closed the evening. Bezahdi skillfully mingles fragments of indigenous Iranian music with other advanced compositional strategies and weaves a striking sound world.
After the enthusiastic ovation, the two ensembles were presented with their framed award citations. Well done!
