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| 2015:2015-02:2015-02-03 [2019/04/08 01:17] – randolo | 2015:2015-02:2015-02-03 [2020/06/14 23:54] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1 |
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| Following _Music for Pieces of Wood_, Jason took the microphone to back announce the opening work and to talk a bit about the program for the rest of the night. Interesting, but a poor substitute for written program notes. | Following _Music for Pieces of Wood_, Jason took the microphone to back announce the opening work and to talk a bit about the program for the rest of the night. Interesting, but a poor substitute for written program notes. |
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| The second work, Bryce Dessner's _Music for Wood and Strings_, was a 30 min long exploration of the aural possibilities of the _Chordstick_, a newly invented instrument commissioned from Aron Sanchez of _Buke and Gaze_. Described as a double necked hybrid of a dulcimer and a guitar, it was interesting to watch Sō Percussion run the instruments through the wringer over that half hour span. To me, much of the piece sounded like Michael Hedges' seminal explorations on acoustic guitar, such his 1984 release, [_Aerial Boundaries_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003W77TX4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003W77TX4&linkCode=as2&tag=ffhq-20&linkId=EXZAN7OCDDW4MRG5) and it's 1986 follow-up, [_Breakfast in the Field_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000000NF7/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000000NF7&linkCode=as2&tag=ffhq-20&linkId=Q5OSH2P5NUWMK7ME). When the soundscape transitioned late in the piece to slide guitar-like glisses, the reference memory that immediately popped up in my head was John Fahey's [Railroad](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000008FH7/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000008FH7&linkCode=as2&tag=ffhq-20&linkId=G3QOO4RMEX7BP2GZ), followed quickly by Bill Jackson's [Long Steel Rail](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000003OQY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000003OQY&linkCode=as2&tag=ffhq-20&linkId=GKOYDCMP7JV5LGXK). Good stuff, but sure, that's just my synapses putting patterns on top of the new vistas revealed by listening to Dessner's piece. | The second work, Bryce Dessner's _Music for Wood and Strings_, was a 30 min long exploration of the aural possibilities of the _Chordstick_, a newly invented instrument commissioned from Aron Sanchez of _Buke and Gaze_. Described as a double necked hybrid of a dulcimer and a guitar, it was interesting to watch Sō Percussion run the instruments through the wringer over that half hour span. To me, much of the piece sounded like Michael Hedges' seminal explorations on acoustic guitar, such his 1984 release, [Aerial Boundaries](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003W77TX4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003W77TX4&linkCode=as2&tag=ffhq-20&linkId=EXZAN7OCDDW4MRG5) and it's 1986 follow-up, [Breakfast in the Field](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000000NF7/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000000NF7&linkCode=as2&tag=ffhq-20&linkId=Q5OSH2P5NUWMK7ME). When the soundscape transitioned late in the piece to slide guitar-like glisses, the reference memory that immediately popped up in my head was John Fahey's [Railroad](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000008FH7/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000008FH7&linkCode=as2&tag=ffhq-20&linkId=G3QOO4RMEX7BP2GZ), followed quickly by Bill Jackson's [Long Steel Rail](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000003OQY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000003OQY&linkCode=as2&tag=ffhq-20&linkId=GKOYDCMP7JV5LGXK). Good stuff, but sure, that's just my synapses putting patterns on top of the new vistas revealed by listening to Dessner's piece. |
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| You can listen to a recording of [Sō Percussion performing _Music for Wood and Strings_](http://audio.wnyc.org/qlive/qlive040314dessner.mp3) from 2013 thanks to WQXR (If you like it, why not [send 'em a few bucks](http://www.wqxr.org/#!/support/); public radio doesn't exist without public support!). WQXR also offers a recording of Sō Percussion collaborating with Buke and Gaze in a few works from the same program as the _Music for Wood and Strings_ recording. Not interested in the whole thing, but want to see a snippet on video? Adam Sliwinski posted a short [HD video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXKEDwcEMC4) of the group in practice for this piece. The video gives a better look at the Chordsticks than I could make out from my seat by the soundboard ... sometimes it's better to sit up close -- but the quick cuts make it hard to see too much detail; thank god for the pause button! You can also find plenty of static shots of the Chordsticks on Aron's website, [Polyphonicworkshop](http://www.polyphonicworkshop.com/). | You can listen to a recording of [Sō Percussion performing Music for Wood and Strings](http://audio.wnyc.org/qlive/qlive040314dessner.mp3) from 2013 thanks to WQXR (If you like it, why not [send 'em a few bucks](http://www.wqxr.org/#!/support/); public radio doesn't exist without public support!). WQXR also offers a recording of Sō Percussion collaborating with Buke and Gaze in a few works from the same program as the _Music for Wood and Strings_ recording. Not interested in the whole thing, but want to see a snippet on video? Adam Sliwinski posted a short [HD video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXKEDwcEMC4) of the group in practice for this piece. The video gives a better look at the Chordsticks than I could make out from my seat by the soundboard ... sometimes it's better to sit up close -- but the quick cuts make it hard to see too much detail; thank god for the pause button! You can also find plenty of static shots of the Chordsticks on Aron's website, [Polyphonicworkshop](http://www.polyphonicworkshop.com/). |
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| Following the break, we all reconvened for a performance of Steven Mackey's percussion extravaganza _It Is Time_. This sprawling work, written expressly for Sō Percussion, covered lots of ground, featuring both traditional and found percussion instruments. Although the players moved around, sometimes following an intricate choreography, that component of the performance seemed somewhat of a background visual aspect, much like the video montage that was projected on the screen above the band. Both served as nice distractions, but the action of the playing of the piece was generally more compelling to me. | Following the break, we all reconvened for a performance of Steven Mackey's percussion extravaganza _It Is Time_. This sprawling work, written expressly for Sō Percussion, covered lots of ground, featuring both traditional and found percussion instruments. Although the players moved around, sometimes following an intricate choreography, that component of the performance seemed somewhat of a background visual aspect, much like the video montage that was projected on the screen above the band. Both served as nice distractions, but the action of the playing of the piece was generally more compelling to me. |
