Continuum Ensemble

Press, 21 July 1988, Page 6

Continuum Ensemble

Continuum Ensemble, at the Cranmer Centre Hall, July 20, 5.45 p.m. Reviewed by Paul Goodson. This was an uneven concert, both in terms of the programme and the quality of performances. The most memorable item was David Farquhar’s recently commissioned “Concerto for Six.” This piece is hardly “progressive” in terms of Farquhar’s compositional career, but it constantly delighted (rather than surprised) with the composer’s adroit handling of his instrumental and thematic resources, and by the inherent good taste which imbued each of the three short movements. . . The first movement showed obvious affinities with Stravinsky, but its uncluttered and leaner texture allowed Farquhar’s quirky counterpoint to be heard clearly. Tom Williams’ sensitive vibraphone playing enhanced attractive timbral combinations in the slow movement, and the players caught the playful dance rhythms of the finale. Both Stravinsky’s “Septet” (1957) and John Cage’s 1 “String Quartet in Four Parts” (1950) sounded under-rehearsed. Stravinsky’s score is an analyst’s delight, but without real bite and fluency in the playing the whole thing gets bogged a sea of corporatggmushiness.

The playing was simply too languid and dynamically lukewarm. Similarly, in Cage’s “Quartet” too much note-groping was going on. This was a pity, as with the right approach, the first two movements which employ melody and timbre, rather than rhythm as thematic catalysts, are among the most approachable examples of Cage’s art.

The more strongly pointed rhythms of the last movement, sounding, at times, like pared-down Bartok, fared the best. But this score must be felt intuitively and handled with demonstrable finesse, if it is not to sound static and indeterminate.

It is not possible to be critically neutral about Chris Cree Brown’s “Deep Music” (1988). I find it unnerving after reviewing enthusiastically this composer’s “Piece for Eighteen Strings” less than a week ago to be confronted with a work of such depravity, anarchy and musical bankruptcy. The theatricality of presentation seems contrived and self-defeating, and even the “comic” element hovers on the brink of a nervous monomania.

Others may find stimulus in this style of writing. To me it is simply bad art: nihilistic and of unremitting sonic and kinesthetic ugliness.