New Music for Scotland, Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh

Conrad Wilson, The Glasgow Herald.

Star Rating: ****

Published on 27 Oct 2009

The ever-adventurous Edinburgh Contemporary Arts Trust celebrated its 30th birthday with a big concert, bulging with interesting commissions and first performances, delivered free to a large, intent audience by an expert trio of Scottish or Scottish-based instrumentalists.

Simon Smith, virtuoso of the extremities (and innards) of the piano, and every timbre a modern composer might desire to draw from it, strung the evening together. Richard Craig (flute) and cellist Sua Lee were his expressive partners. Lots of tiny piano pieces and other odds and ends – Howard Skempton’s Six Figures sounded like a Bach cello suite compressed into almost nothing – kept the action moving. Edward Harper’s Nocturne, dreamy, sometimes troubled music played in his memory by the flutist and pianist, had more substance.

Chris Lyons’s Rhythmismus was all sharp shards of piano tone. Jane Stanley’s Gathering went through the motions of a spectral, abstract dance, drifting into silence. Helen Grime’s Ten Miniatures emerged like a trail of clues, or fragments of a jigsaw which, along with contributions from Maeve Gilchrist, David Fennessy and James Clapperton, gained shape as George Crumb’s Voice of the Whale, the main (and long established) work in the programme.

Performing in blue semi-darkness, and depersonalising themselves behind masks, the players evoked the songs of the humpbacked whale through softly mewing cello tone, the stroking of piano strings and the voice of the flutist gently moaning into his instrument. Crumb, an American master of strange and magical sounds, was here at his early best, as atmospheric now as 40 years ago.

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New Music for Scotland ****
Queens Hall

New musicians a hit with skilled displays

By Josie Balfour, The Scotsman

Published on 27 Oct 2009

NEW Music for Scotland is perhaps one of the best introductions to contemporary classical music there is. Entry is free, the audience is relaxed and friendly, and the pieces are short and engaging. It’s a chance for people to experience the flavour of emerging trends in musical composition and discover new, up and coming artists.

And, as much of the music is commissioned specifically for the event by organiser ECAT (formerly known as the Edinburgh Contemporary Arts Trust), many of the composers are on hand to discuss the inspiration behind their works. With seasoned compere and journalist Janice Forsyth drawing information out of them on behalf of the audience, there was an air of informality and intimacy about last night’s event.

Opening the proceedings with works by two new Edinburgh composers barely into their 20s, Chris Lyons and Maeve Gilchrist, pianist Simon Smith tackled the demands of each score with confident nonchalance.

Lyons’ Rhythmismus was an enticing juxtaposition of Cuban Jazz accents within the framework of serialism.

Gilchrist’s work, Sail, by contrast had a more wistful air, embracing her firm folk roots and exploring a strong sea theme.

Performing James Dillon’s 1984 flute solo Sgothan, or cloud, a last minute replacement for Carceri D’Invenzione 2c, flautist Richard Craig brought an energetic dynamism to the piece. Working in conjunction with Dillon over several years, Craig has imbued the fleeting, conversational riffs that make up the piece’s 24 parts with an ambitious physical vitality. His choice of utilising six music stands to play the work rather than employing a page-turner adding an aspect of movement that aided the composition’s airy momentum.

Completing the evening’s trio of musicians was cellist Su-A Lee, performing Howard Skempton’s Six Figures for cello suite. Ably marrying the piece’s technical demands, Skempton designed the suite to lay out the elements of cello technique. With Bach-like interludes Lee, brought a spunky, charismatic quality to the work.

Following Lee, Simon Smith returned to the stage to perform two more new piano solos. The first of which, a 4-minute work by David Fennessy, has been created as a tribute to the poet and playwright Tom McGrath, who died earlier this year. Based on Bach’s Goldberg Variations, Fennessy’s The First Thing, The Last Thing and Everything In Between attempts to capture the intangible essence of McGrath’s life through one of the writer’s own muses.

Contrasting nicely, Helen Grime’s 10 miniatures for solo piano returned attention to the themes of evolution and musical exploration. It was a theme also picked up by Jane Stanley’s post interval work, Gathering, crafted by the composer as a diverting, sprightly contribution.

James Clapperton’s Koshki, or Cats, departed from this idea, however, with a contemplative, abstract effort to trap the essence of a capricious feline.

Ending the evening George Crumb’s equally ethereal Vox Balaenae, the musicians formed a trio getting to grips with the challenging task of mimicking the sound of humpback whale song.

Star rating: ****

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