NEW MUSIC BOX
For years the intrepid Kevin Stalheim and his Milwaukee-based new music ensemble Present Music have championed the music of Turkish-American Kamran Ince, a composer whose often beautiful and always exciting post-minimalist music is shockingly never done in New York City or by any of the major orchestras around the country. The first CD of his music, on the unfortunately now defunct Northeastern label but soon to be re-issued on the A.K. label out of EMI Turkey, was one of the first discs I heard when I arrived at the American Music Center five and a half years ago. It made me realize that as much as I thought I knew about contemporary American music, I certainly did not know enough if his music had evaded my radar. In fact, the disc became something of a catalyst for the second list of radio repertoire suggestions, Another Century List. An orchestral CD came next on the also now defunct Decca/London new music imprint Argo (would somebody re-issue these 2 discs, please?) and then a disc of chamber music on Albany. The most recent disc, this time on the ACF’s Innova label, continues the trajectory with five pieces for various forces. Flight Box, scored for forces similar to a jazz big band (saxes, horns) but with no drums and violin, cello, and seven singers added, was composed early in 2001 and has nothing to do with the events of September 11. Rather, Ince’s passionate music, which is inspired by feelings triggered from constant global travel between teaching gigs in Memphis and Istambul. I want to be on that flight! The MKG Variations for solo cello is a quiet introspective work inspired by J.S. Bach, the Goldberg Variations rather than the Cello Suites. It also exists in a later version for solo guitar, which has yet to appear on CD. The disc’s centerpiece, In White, an extremely lush concerto for violin and chamber ensemble, opens with a melody reminiscent of the middle movement of the Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez but gradually travels to more mysterious terrain that sounds like polytonal Michael Nyman crossed with George Crumb before exploding into a full-fledged, tender romanticism. The work is inspired by Christian and Muslim architecture in Asia Minor. In Memoriam 8/17/99 for solo piano is a deeply moving emotional response to the catastrophic earthquake in Marmara, Turkey. Finally, Turquoise is unpredictable and rock-savvy (pun intended perhaps). Scored for the 20th century’s ubiquitous “Pierrot” ensemble (flute, clarinet, violin, cello, keyboard and percussion) with added trumpet, here played by Stalheim, it is music that sounds right at home in the sound world of the Bang On A Can All Stars, who should commission him!
By Frank Oteri
