Which brings me to the music. Percussive, gristly attacks blend seamlessly with soaring melodies and electronic noise in in a piece by Kojiro Umezaki, "(Cycles) what falls must rise," written for quartet, electronics and the Japanese bamboo flute, the shakuhachi. If you think you're not a fan of "new" music, just close your eyes and give this a chance to tell its story. Me? I hear the persistent drone of cicadas, steam rising from the ground early on a humid morning... but there's something industrial about it as well, like an abandoned factory being reclaimed by nature.
Deconstruction and recreation is nature's endless cycle, and it's a common thread throughout this entire CD. Claude Debussy's String Quartet uses various permutations of the same melodic theme in each of its four movements. In turn, Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky pulls a fragment of Debussy's theme, deconstructs it and rebuilds it in "...al niente."
One of Debussy's given names was Achille--"Achilles"-- which was the inspiration for Brooklyn Rider's Colin Jacobsen to write "Achille's Heel," a testament to the boundless creative inspiration one can find in a circle of friends.
At the heart of the CD is this: everything we create is actually a synthesis of everything we've ever heard and read and seen and smelled and felt... deconstructed and rebuilt through the filter of our own individual, unique experience.
Love the music?
Show your support by making a gift to YourClassical.
Each day, we’re here for you with thoughtful streams that set the tone for your day – not to mention the stories and programs that inspire you to new discovery and help you explore the music you love.
YourClassical is available for free, because we are listener-supported public media. Take a moment to make your gift today.
Your Donation
About New Classical Tracks®
Host Julie Amacher provides an in-depth exploration of a new classical music release each week.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, Radio Public, or RSS.
