Search - Frederic Rzewski, Abel-Steinberg-Winant Trio, William Winant :: New Works

Little odd pieces, evocative and fascinating colours

04/07/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These are little odd pieces by Rzewski. He is to Americana what Eisler or Weill was to Germany. He is a devoted practitioner in dealing with music of the here and now. Forget carrying the torch of modernity or postmodernity. Rzewski's musical philosophy is direct communication based on what we can understand right now." To The Earth" is like an ode to the assaulted, plundered, and pockmarked earth. I can't help thinking of the Exxon Valdez incident in Prince Williams Sound off the coast of Alaska, ten years ago everytime I hear this piece.. It is for one percussionist who plays Five Flowerpots with chopsticks, or thin sticks for the timbre. The effect is evocative and disarming and counterpoints the speaking wonderfully. Rzewski has experience in constructing spoken works, short, simple pieces with a speaker. Winant's voice is not ideal for this piece, but still you can see the committment at work. I prefer Carrie Biolo. "Whangdoodles" is a real piece of Americana, with homespun timbres, small fragments of sounds, the violin,piano and an array of handheld percussion. I can't help hearing this music on a damp front porch in New England someplace as the sun sets over the polluted sky."