...But Not Simpler...

Chronique

Composer Tod Machover is a musical innovator in terms of his compositions as well his instruments, such as the hyperpiano. But Machover never loses sight of the emotional side of music that engages the listener naturally, viscerally. The pastoral, layered beginning of winds and brass in Sparkler, performed by the talented Odense Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paul Mann, is one fine example of Machover's talents. The layered entrances of the instruments are lovely, like a fantasy, and the electronic sounds are so tastefully added that one would describe the piece as an orchestral work with electronic highlights. Though the piece descends into darker cacophony, the lyrical melodies return at the end. Interlude 1 is a brief gem that is played without much vibrato and has a stop-start quality that plays with the listener's expectations. This contrasts with the first movement of Three Hyper-Dim-Sums, "Glade," which is full of motion and engaging textures and layers in the strings. The iO Quartet seems to relish Machover's music, delivering a romantic second-movement "Winding Line" (that sounds like a throwback to the 19th century) or the odd harmonies and layers of "Punchy." The listener can read more about the intricacies of Machover's use of technology, but one can simply say that the composer has made use of technology that goes beyond the sounds produced by the instruments and enhances them electronically. The piece entitled ...but not simpler... is a longer work that is by turns playful, expressive (especially the wonderful first violin), and sunny in character. The music is always moving, and the iO Quartet is so spot-on with their timing and technique that there are no flubbed notes. There is a memorable cello solo toward the end, rather like a Bach prelude. This demonstrates that Machover's musical palette is wide, and he embraces various styles and composers in his 21st century works. The album concludes with another orchestral piece that features Michael Chertock on the hyperpiano. There is a lot of orchestral color here, suitable for accompanying a grand, virtuosic piano that splashes throughout the music, and one cannot overlook Paul Mann's strong musical direction. For anyone who is tempted to dismiss all modern music as "strange" or inaccessible, this album will prove him or her wrong. Machover seems to have struck the right balance between conceptual art and music at its purest level of feeling.

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