In C
Fri, Nov 5 2010, 12:02AM
This evening (well, yesterday evening, now) I went to a terrific performance of Terry Riley's In C by Adrian Utley's Guitar Orchestra at St George's, Bristol.
The twenty strong Guitar Orchestra is a diverse ensemble. Aside from various luminaries of 'popular' music - eg, Adrian Utley (of course), John Parish, Will Gregory, Alex Lee - it also features composer Graham Fitkin, harpist Ruth Wall, and conductor Charles Hazlewood.
Anyway, the music...
For anyone who doesn't know it, In C is often credited as the first minimalist composition. It's also got an element of chance in how it's played - performers choose from a selection of 53 phrases (with certain constraints), and also decide how many times they'll play them, and how loudly - it's sometimes described as 'composed improvisation'*. The length of a performance can vary between 45 mins and 90 mins (tonight's was just over 80 mins).
* for anyone interested, you can download a full score with Riley's performing directions.
As a result of the 'chance' element, there's a huge amount of adventitious interplay between the musicians. Rhythms arise and disappear as the phrases people are playing change. Your mind imposes stresses and accents on metronomic beats. Melodies seems to emerge, despite none really being played, and then are gone again. Everyone in the audience listens to the same performance, but everyone hears something different.
I've heard In C quite a few times - I've got Riley's original 1968 recording - but not live before. And not played predominantly by so many amplified guitars - the various crescendos resulted in a remarkable 'wall of sound'.
I found it quite mesmerizing and lost any sense of time. It seemed to have been going on for ages, but probably only 10 minutes had passed. When it finished, it was hard to believe that it had lasted almost an hour and a half.
I'm not sure if it'll ever be performed by Adrian Utley's Guitar Orchestra again - tonight was billed as "a special one-off performance" - but if you ever get the chance to hear In C played live, take it.
Sat, Nov 6 2010, 11:33PM
#2
RE: In C
This evening (well, yesterday evening, now) I went to a terrific performance of Terry Riley's In C by Adrian Utley's Guitar Orchestra at St George's, Bristol.
Quite the coincidence. If you look at Mark Wigglesworth's last blog on music making, I've entered a post describing an almost identical experience and reaction, a week ago and across the other side of the world. Same work, different players of course. It was a contemporary music group from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver playing a lunchtime concert. I was leaving the swimming pool at our local rec. centre and there they were in the foyer, a minute or so into the piece. I couldn't tear myself away. Mesmeric is exactly the right word.
Just to check I hadn't suddenly become a minimalist fan, I put on my one and only Glass cd when I got home. Gritted my teeth for five minutes and turned it off.
Sun, Nov 7 2010, 12:34AM
#3
RE: In C
Hi tagalie
This evening (well, yesterday evening, now) I went to a terrific performance of Terry Riley's In C by Adrian Utley's Guitar Orchestra at St George's, Bristol.
Quite the coincidence. If you look at Mark Wigglesworth's last blog on music making, I've entered a post describing an almost identical experience and reaction, a week ago and across the other side of the world. Same work, different players of course.
Well, it's certainly better that my reaction to the work wasn't in any way unique -- not that I imagined it was, given how other people in the audience seemed when we exited.
Also, I don't read the blogs -- I'd forgotten they were there, to be honest, so thanks for reminding me they're there.
Just to check I hadn't suddenly become a minimalist fan, I put on my one and only Glass cd when I got home. Gritted my teeth for five minutes and turned it off.
There's no need to worry, or be embarrassed, about the possibility of of being a "minimalist fan" :-)
Which Glass was it, out of interest? All composers have their 'off-works' - or at least works that don't appeal as much as others to regular 'fans', or works that are atypical.
If it's a Glass opera you don't like try a symphony, or a concerto (violin or piano, or cello, or even saxophone quartet), or a string quartet ... etc.
PS. I don't think this forum s/w works well with Chrome (I'm using 8.055 atm). I have endless formatting/layout problems and reluctantly have to resort to IE.
Sun, Nov 7 2010, 7:17PM
#4
RE: In C
Which Glass was it, out of interest? All composers have their 'off-works' - or at least works that don't appeal as much as others to regular 'fans', or works that are atypical.
It was a cd called Dance Pieces. Some stuff commissioned by Twyla Tharp and three other short bits including the funeral from Akhnaten.
I do enjoy Adams (Shaker Loops, The Wound Dresser) and Reich (Different Trains, a harrowing work).
To some extent most of us have to exercise triage where music is concerned. There's more to listen to than time to take it in properly. I've put hours into Glass and Part but get nothing out of either of them. Still waiting for that epiphanic moment when you suddenly 'get' a composer.
Sun, Nov 7 2010, 7:53PM
#5
RE: In C
You guys were talking about overrated performances the other day, but as for overrated works or composers I think Part would have to be top of my list. I like his Third Symphony but neatrly everything else I´ve heard has left me completely cold. I can´t say anything about Glass because I´ve never listened to one of his pieces from start to finish, but there´s no stimulus to make me want to do so. Another work I´m afraid I have to add to this list is Gorecki´s Symphony of Sorrowful Songs.
Mon, Nov 8 2010, 9:45AM
#6
RE: In C
To some extent most of us have to exercise triage where music is concerned. There's more to listen to than time to take it in properly.
This is true. My not 'getting' Mozart has kept a substantial amount of time free for other composers :-)
Mon, Nov 8 2010, 9:03PM
#7
RE: In C
You guys were talking about overrated performances the other day, but as for overrated works or composers I think Part would have to be top of my list.
I'm with you there, dubrob. His music reminds me of that film John and Yoko did back in the day, of them sitting in bed for 12 hours. Nothing happens. The biggest put-on since Piotr Zak's Mobile.
Mon, Nov 8 2010, 9:53PM
#8
RE: In C
Piotr Zak, ah Hans Keller, they don´t make ´em like that anymore.
Wed, Jun 29 2011, 1:34PM
#9
RE: In C
Thanks for posting that review. I'll consider your warning =)
Interesting - thanks.