Photo by Andrew Norman
The final concert of the Present Music season, held at Turner Hall Friday evening, was a mixed bag of works by American composers. Some pieces featured a large ensemble of 17 players. The most interesting music on the program was Try by Andrew Norman (b. 1979), composed in 2011. It has a different aesthetic than most recent American works, echoing Alban Berg and aspects of mid-20th century avant-garde music. There is some artfully organized chaos in Try. I loved the precise banging on the piano; a captivating section of wind chords, built in ascension one note at a time, was later answered by a long, wispy piano solo, with the same type of chords built in descending notes. It seems to me that Norman has more to say than many of his peers.
Still Life with Avalanche by Missy Mazzoli (b. 1980), for seven players, was attractive and intriguingly both contemplative and intense. It arrestingly ends with long harmonica chords, evoking a quiet, moody and yet not entirely peaceful resolution. Matthew Evans (b. 1988) was heard in Still Life No. 2, an inventive musical equivalent of a static painting, undulating in subtleties, drawing the listener in with masterful and mysterious instrumentation. It’s music that would match something like those slow-moving video projections at Millennium Park in Chicago.
David Lang’s Increase, based on two minor chords, is intricately rhythmic, layering the many instruments over one another, accumulating in thunderous roar. I’m sure some people liked it better than I did. I found it to be over-written and lost interest before it was over. Mindjob (2010) by Jeremy Podgursky (b. 1975) is a mash-up of Miles Davis, Big Band music, novelty numbers, Latin sounds and other things. It presents a parade of influences—at one point sounding like the dance music from West Side Story. I’m not sure it’s really a “mindjob,” but it was fun and light in spirit.
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Guest conductor David Bloom, who specializes in new music, brought enthusiastic commitment and exactness to the music he led. The 17 excellent musicians gave each piece played a vivid rendering.
