Monotonous Forest

Burmeister in Persichetti, Denk plays Ives

20th-Century Piano Cornerstones. The Juilliard Journal, November 2011

Audra wows Carnegie

Audra McDonald during the ovation following her Carnegie Hall concert on Saturday night. More photos will appear with the full review, but I couldn't wait to post a glimpse. [Photograph by Jennifer Taylor]

If in doubt, use Richard Strauss

Fabio Luisi and the MET Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. Seen and Heard International, October 20, 2011

Stepping out with MATA

On Tuesday night, MATA ruled the evening with a benefit honoring Ara Guzelimian, Provost and Dean of the Juilliard School, and percussion virtuoso Steven Schick. Aside from moving remarks by the guests of honor, their introductions by Joan La Barbara and David Lang were potent, well-considered and often funny. La Barbara recalled an early encounter with John Cage, in which she blithely asked, "With all the chaos in the world, why do you make more?" His reply: "Perhaps when you go back out in the world, it won't seem so chaotic."

And MATA raised the bar equally high with the music, starting with Edgard Varèse's Density 21.5, magically played by Claire Chase as if the flute were an extension of her body (which PS, was cleverly sheathed in vintage Gaultier). Chase's intrepid ICE colleague Eric Lamb joined her for Altar of Two Serpents (2009) by Mario Diaz de León, a dance-like ritual for two intertwining alto flutes. Schick demonstrated why Lang referred to him as a "god" in an elegant performance of Vinko Globokar's Toucher (1973), in which the performer speaks French (adapted from Brecht's play, The Life of Galileo) while the fingers sprint over a small array of drums and bells. And cellist Maya Beiser offered an intense, microtonally-inflected solo by Chinary Ung called Khse Buon (1980).

But the final words of the night belonged to La Barbara, whose request from Guzelimian was Cage. She chose three samples from his Song Books (1970): #49 ("The Year Begins to be Ripe"), #52 ("Aria No. 2") and arguably the most entertaining, #67 ("Navajo Yei-bi-chi"), the voice complemented by the unexpected roar of a pile driver.

Three uncompromising modern classics

Jeffrey Milarsky and AXIOM in Birtwistle, Lindberg and Grisey. Seen and Heard International, October 18, 2011

Vocal music spanning a millenium

The Ascoli Ensemble, Ergodos Musicians and Ekmeles at Issue Project Room. Seen and Heard International, October 12, 2011