Eighth Blackbird Wonder

I have of course been waiting sometime for this recording of something which won the Pulitzer Prize for Steve Reich and Eighth Blackbird so long ago and more annoyingly was performed in a local venue without me hearing a peep of publicity. While Double Sextet itself does not disappoint one bit, the accompanying 2x5 performed by Bang on a Can is slightly weedy in comparison - some feedback and room simulation might have been useful just to give it a bit more drive. However, the third movement contains some trademark Reichian interlocks which make up for this a bit. But the obvious star of the release is the three-movement Double Sextet which I suppose is the definitive Reich piece. It moves at just the correct speed in all places and the interlocks here are myriad - jittery mixtures of time signatures just to keep anyone thinking of using the piece as dance music well and truly on their toes. It is amazing that there are only two of every instrument - the conceit being Reich's favourite device of having an artist or artists play against a tape of themselves (though the premier had two live sextets) - the texture is rich and deep. A slight technical niggle which may be my player, is that the Piano recording level seems to be too high meaning that it distorts a little; it was not audible when I played it through speakers last night but it is occasionally jarring in earphones.

Despite the slight negativity about Bang on a Can above, I am interested to see that they are performing a new opera by Evan Ziporyn with Gamelan Salukat called A House in Bali which is based on the book by Colin McPhee. I read the book years ago and it is a gentle story of nothing much other than composing and playing music in Bali. So there is that to look forward to as well.