Tristan Perich

During the weekend of April 29 - May 1, Tristan Perich, a New-York based composer/artist, came to Oberlin's Frank-Lloyd Wright House  and Cleveland's SPACES Gallery to present a modernist extravaganza.   

Serenity and unyielding power are nature’s most elegant and alluring facets.  That is why, when mixing elements of a computer (a purely human-derived contraption) along with the natural composure of sound found in acoustic instruments, Tristan Perich receives the attention he does.  Both quietly intriguing and beautiful, Perich’s work 1-Bit Music  is powerful in its sophisticated design which embodies the concept of naturalness.  Returning to the origin of electronic music, Perich incorporates square sound waves which interplay between electrical states 1 and 0.  He applies the philosophies of mathematicians Kurt Gödel and Werner Heisenberg which revolve around the idea that if something is consistent, then it is never complete.  Perich, driving this notion in 1-Bit Music, delivers a fascinating sonic display of cyclical motion.  Acoustic sounds intermingle with electronic ones that, at certain moments, bring out distinct lines of pulsations and tones which transfix the listener.  

Minimalist at its core, Perich’s 1-Bit Music contains its own rhythm which feels primitive, and this combined with his layering of oscillations between electronic and acoustic sounds, creates an effect where specific beeps and pulsations stick out over others.  This affect is felt most powerfully in his first piece titled Observations for two sets of crotales, three-channel 1-bit music (2008).  This implementation was developed by the interaction between the acoustic sounds presented in the crotales (which were played by Oberlin Conservatory students Austin Vaughn and Ryan Packard) and the electronic noises.  Each voice (electronic or acoustic) stopped completely to allow each other to shine at explicit landmarks in the composition.  All together, the effect was bewitching.  

Consistency, drive, and the interplay between electronic and acoustic sound waves  thrived throughout Perich’s presentation.  Three other compositions included: Momentary Expanse for solo vibraphone with two-channel 1-bit music (2008), qsqsqsqsqqqqqqqqq for three toy pianos and three-channel 1-bit tones (2009), and Dual Synthesis for harpsichord and four-channel 1-bit electronics (2009).  

Upon hearing Dual Synthesis, Perich’s ideal of circular motion, natural rhythm, and the interaction between acoustic and electronic sounds were brought to a higher level of fruition.  Synthesis (the longest) was a grandiose polyphony of circular motion allowing the individual sounds of the harpsichord to be heard, which would in response, invite the four-channel 1-bit electronics to solo as well.  At distinct points, harpsichord and electronics would convene in unison, and the result was mesmerizing.  Portions of the circle (or circular motion) conveyed by Perich’s 1-Bit ideal were distinguishable and clever.  Impressive on harpsichord, Daniel Walden was illustrated this effect tactfully and with tireless vigor.  

 
As an event spanning over three venues (Frank Lloyd Wright’s Weltzheimer-Johnson House, SPACES Gallery in Cleveland, and Fairchild Chapel -- cancelled due to an emergency in Perich’s family), 1-Bit Music is only one counterpart of Perich’s 1-Bit Project which incorporates his visual art as well.  

Beginning at the Wetzhimer-Johnson House, 1-Bit Music depicted an enchanting atmosphere which permitted the audience to be surrounded by nature and the ambience of home.   It was as though listeners were experiencing a premier of Haydn or Liszt especially with the application of the harpsichord and toy pianos.

 
Made possible through the funding of the Oberlin Creativity Fund and the Meet The Composer’s Metlife Creative Connections Program, the 1-Bit Project is, hopefully, a beginning towards bridging the gap between musicians and visual artists at Oberlin.    

We are who we are.

  

Communication believes in every type of medium.  The charm of colors, lines, shapes, and shading are what comprises visual art.  Dynamics, timber, register, and rhythm define music.  Writing involves argumentation, voice, assonance, alliteration, and appropriate adjectives.  The point to all of this is, after discussing with a friend the impact of our thought processes on music and writing which are developed by our daily life interactions, I found that, as musicians, visual artists, and writers, what lies at the basis of our work is the ability to masterfully translate and communicate life.  We live it, see it through a specific lens,  and try to make sense for other human beings the chaotic nature of everyday situations.  In this vein, we somehow make life easier by presenting it more comprehensively than it seems, and as musicians, artists, and writers, we serve a role that is similar to a minister, priest, rabbi, or guru.

That is why (if you are interested) you should all take a look into the Mysticism of Music, Sound, and Word by Hazrat Inayat Khan.  It is a beautiful representation of a musician's take on his own art and how it is a portal into the realities of life, love, and happiness.
For instance, take Khan's beginning to Part 1 of his book.  Here, Khan creates parallels between the idea of "creation" in the universe which is found in music.  Illustrating and comparing the original elements -- "earth, air, water, and fire" -- to specific sounds and colors, he creates a world that is viable through the power of music and sound.

Here, is what Khan says:

"The sound of fire is high pitched, its form is curled, and its color is red. It is heard in the falling of the thunderbolt and in a volcanic eruption, in the sound of a fire when blazing, in the noise of squibs, crackers, rifles, guns and cannons. All these have a tendency to produce fear.

The sound of air is wavering, its form zigzag, and its color blue. Its voice is heard in storms, when the wind blows, and in the whisper of the morning breeze. Its effect is breaking, sweeping and piercing. The sound of air finds expression in all wind instruments made of wood, brass and bamboo; it has a tendency to kindle the fire of the heart, as Rumi writes in his Masnavi about the flute. Krishna is always portrayed in Indian art with a flute. The air sound overpowers all other sounds, for it is living, and in every aspect its influence produces ecstasy."

Although what he is describing is "subjective," I find Khan's purpose with his descriptions compelling and offer a template into how to meld my music into the world at large.    

During Part III, Khan offers the question -- what is the "meaning" of "words," and why are they important?

"Then there is another question, namely: what makes a word powerful? Is it the meaning, the vibration, the way it is used, or the knowledge of the teacher who teaches the pupil to repeat it? The answer to such a question is that some words have power because of their meaning, others because of the vibration they produce, others for their influence upon the various centers. And there are some words given by saints, sages and prophets which have come inspirationally from God. In them is all blessing and the mystery of how to acquire all that the soul desires in life. If there exists any phenomenon or miracle it is in the power of words. But those who know of this power and who possess it never show it to others. Spiritual attainment is not a thing to be brought before people to prove that it is real, or as a show."

If you are reading this and thinking, "Wow, never before have words been so inspirational. Everything makes sense!" (Or, in other cases, it may confuse you.  Hey, but that's ok. Khan just wants you to think, and therefore, grow.) In my case, I could not stop reading what he has to say.    

None-the-less, The Mysticism of Sound and Music is resplendent in its humbleness, power, and delivery. You (musicians, writers, artists) will find even more importance in what-you-do.   

 

Ambrose...Ambrose...oh Ambrose

           Yes.  This is Ambrose Akinmusire -- jazz trumpeter/believer in life.

          This past Saturday (along with the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival), I had an opportunity to experience the Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet along with my friend, other friends, and the rest of the  Oberlin students and/or various stragglers who could fit into the the Cat and the Cream at around 8 o'clock that evening.  It was a Saturday-to-remember especially in collaboration with cohort experiences, discoveries, and revelations garnered earlier that day.  Not only was I able to soak-up the wealth of beauty and magnificence living in Carnatic music, but I could witness a leader in today's jazz world. Crucial and poignant it was indeed.
          Recently raved about in a NY Times' April issue, Ambrose brought his expertise and the expertise of his colleagues (Harish Raghavan - bass, Walter Smith III -- tenor sax, Sam Harris -- piano, and Justin Brown -- drums) to Oberlin.  Students were provided a taste of his music as well as received a masterclass of his take on life as a musician, improvisation, and the crucial demands of an ensemble player.
         Within the first minutes of the performance, I was engrossed.  Continuing to fascinate me, jazz music involves "sounds" rather than "pitches" to indicate musical phrasing and voice within improvisation (though, most prevalent in trumpeters and sax players).  A sax player might blow air into the horn in a way that the instrument becomes over-burdened and produces an ugly, yet cool sound.  However, at the same time, theses "raw" sounds conveys the naturalness and realness of the player.  Upon hearing this, I imagine the vulnerability of the human voice and how it is subject to "cracking" on certain notes and such which somehow connects you more closely with your audience on a type of deeper level.  Trumpeters have this "rawness" especially.
       Ambrose's style is indulgent in this technique, and the overall effect is impressive which does not surprise me.  After all in the master-class which took place post-performance, he divulged the secret to his success as a musician:  finding "voice" requires active involvement in life rather than just shedding (i.e. "practicing") alone.            
           

the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival -- Beautiful, Wonderful, and (oh so) Exuberant

  


     This past Saturday, a friend and I had a unique and absolutely rare opportunity to experience The Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival.  
                                                    
                         

     Celebrating the ancient and beautiful art of Indian Carnatic music, the Festival is a resplendent representation of music that I found to be genuinely pure, natural, and all together breathtaking.

This video features one of the four singers we saw on Sat.  Her name is Nisha Rajagopalan, and she was overall my favorite.  The video, too, gives you a tiny perspective into Carnatic music.

The art is beyond centuries old, and in experiencing it, I was also astonished to distinguish the modern influences applied to Carnatic music versus the indigenous ones (particularly the violin which was added after the British occupation of India).  Seeing and hearing this, I came to a distinct realization of the impact of cultural exchange and history -- a feeling which was so awesome and surreal.

Here is an example.

                                               

    What appears to me to be majestic and magnificent about this music is its focus around the voice and the attempts of each instrument to replicate and support it.  Especially noticeable is the violin's role.  As a firm believer of the violin being the closest instrument to the human voice, I felt that Saturday's performances further validated this fact.

   Why is Carnatic music so focused around the voice?  The answer is that the music's tradition is steeped in divine origin -- the lyrics are based off of ancient texts dedicated to Indian (or Hindu) deities.  Some lyrics specifically reference epic tales such as Ramayana and Mahabharata.

   Not only was the music exquisite, but the performers' formal Indian attire was alluring and elegant.  Humility and grace were woven into every aspect of each performance.  The musicians never stood while performing and only sat with legs crossed in respect to the words contained in the music they were about to share.

 A world easily forgotten by a vast majority of people today, Carnatic music is a stunning and fascinating treasure waiting for anyone who is ready to embrace it. 

  

Two weeks in March I forgot to mention -- Opera in Ohio does not fail to please

                                                                                                                    Roger Mastroianni                                                   

 Cleveland Orchestra's Don Giovanni Puts Metropolitan Opera To Shame

by Meghan Farnsworth

April 5, 2011

Ohio often yields itself to many surprises, and creative and artistic ingenuity thrives among the endless agricultural fields and the industrial smoke-stacks dotting the horizon. In this same vein, Cleveland, rated by Travel+Leisure magazine as second best to New York for its classical music scene, impresses with its ensembles, music schools and theater. With cohorts Oberlin, Akron and Wooster, Ohio flourishes with the energy that musicians crave, allowing college students to experience exceptional opera without having to travel to New York or Vienna. This is why it was possible, within two weeks in March, to experience two extraordinary performances of Mozart operas La Clemenza di Tito at Oberlin and Don Giovanni at Cleveland’s Severance Hall.

When the Oberlin Opera Theater presented La Clemenza di Tito at Hall Auditorium, I was impressed. The production showcased Oberlin Conservatory voice majors’ breadth of dedication and mastery, confirming why many Oberlin singers have enjoyed successful careers after graduation. Although La Clemenza’s story is set during the reign of the Roman Empire, the Oberlin Opera Theater used a modern set, costuming and props to communicate its message. This type of contemporary approach is very popular among today’s opera companies, as directors striving for historical accuracy often lose the depth and strength of an opera’s intended message. A modern adaptation, however, allows audiences to relate more convincingly and easily to its characters — indeed, just this month the Met set Strauss’s Capriccio in the 1920s rather than the 1770s.
Don Giovanni at Severance Hall followed a similar path. Featuring 2011 Musical America award winner for Vocalist of the Year Simon Keenlyside as Giovanni, with the Zürich Opera and the Cleveland Orchestra under Franz Welser-Möst, the production transported Mad Men to the Severance stage. Giovanni, opera’s famous casanova, was outfitted in a velvet waist-jacket while other male cast members wore simple, clean-cut suit-jackets. This crucial detail provided a more convenient reference point, allowing the audience to grasp the fullest extent of Giovanni’s seductive nature. Using elements of Severance Hall that could only be seen during a Cleveland Orchestra concert, the simplistic staging helped Don Giovanni become what Welser-Möst calls “a story that can happen here and now.”
At the heart of opera is its historically European roots, from La Scala in Italy to the Opéra national de Paris and London’s Convent Garden. Cleveland’s Severance Hall, however, is not too dissimilar to these exotic locations. According to Welser-Möst, the reason why he waited a year to allow Giovanni to be performed at Severance is because “Cleveland deserves the best”: this is also why he waited for the best baritone in the business, Simon Keenlyside, to become available to take center-stage as Mozart’s Don Juan.
In addition to his turn as Giovanni at Severance, Keenlyside has also appeared at La Scala, the Vienna State Opera and London’s Royal Opera House as well as collaborating alongside Europe’s prominent orchestras — the Berlin Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic. Given Keenlyside’s extensive list of accomplishments, we can be proud to claim that America saw him perform Giovanni for the first time in Cleveland, Ohio.

Mainstream Music's Delightful Guardian: The Wire Primers

    

In 2009, The Wire (Britain's informative magazine covering all things avant-garde from hip-hop, contemporary classical music, electronic music, post-rock, and jazz) published a collection of articles called The Wire Primers: A Guide to Modern Music to supply what Alex Ross could not cover in his The Rest is Noise.
      But first, let me explain "the Primer." Originally intended as a listening guide to Karlheinz Stockhausen's music, "the Primer" serves as a supplement of reasons for today’s music consumer to buy and indulge in "modern" music.  Within each supplement contains the title of the suggested artist, then a brief introduction (which usually lasts 3 or 4 paragraph and explains the writer's take on the artist), and a list of the artist's recordings which contains a synopsis of each CD, LP, cassette, etc.  All together, this concept is what really drives the Wire’s focus.  
    An array of authorities on today's music, like Ben Ratliff of the NY Times and Louise Gray, author of the No-Nonsense Guide to World Music, have contributed to the Wire's first collection of "Primers" which serve as the publication's expert opinion on 20th/21st centuries’ most significant artists.
      On behalf of the Wire, something as informative as The Wire Primers is smart and sensical since "the Primer" itself is one of the Wire's most interesting facets, which is why (while walking past the numerous volumes of books in the Oberlin Conservatory's library) I was genuinely compelled to randomly grab it on a night of intense studying.  Its silvery, metallic cover donned with a collage of (well, I honestly don’t know what, but it's so cool).  Honestly, why wouldn’t anybody want this?  (I was seriously considering reading it that very same night rather than doing the much necessary work haunting me at home.)
    Despite some controversy I uncovered (protesting its gross generalizations especially in regards towards its section titled “Avant-Rock"), The Wire Primers is certainly a wonderful beginners manual to the world of modern music. That is why, for a person like me with training in classical music theory and performance, it is perfect, and an ideal work to be sitting on the shelves of Oberlin Conservatory’s library, because after all for most students there, “Modern music” is an unfortunate acquaintance briefly encountered in a music history 100-level course.       
  


    

James Ehnes Conquers Stravinsky and the Masters of Lyricism

James Ehnes Has Some Professional Fun

by Meghan Farnsworth

April 29, 2011

Benjamin Ealovega

To kick off his performance as part of the Artist Recital Series, violinist James Ehnes greeted Finney Chapel’s audience with calmness and quiet charm. As he walked onstage with pianist and colleague Orion Weiss, Ehnes stopped in front of the piano, bowed and threw the audience a boyishly elegant smile. With his professional yet somewhat childlike persona, Ehnes forged a personal connection with his audience that seemed to say: “Let’s get down to business — but let’s have fun at the same time.”

Hailed as “the Jascha Heifetz of our day” by Canada’s Globe and Mail, Ehnes, a native Canadian, reserves the right to “have fun” with audiences worldwide. With a Grammy, Gramophone and six Canadian Juno awards under his belt, Ehnes has recorded Paganini’s 24 Caprices (violin e?tudes that display Ehnes’s technical brilliance and thoughtful musicality), as well as a plethora of other complex pieces, including all five of Mozart’s violin concertos. With this vast and all-encompassing repertoire, none of the audience members present in Finney Chapel should have doubted Ehnes’s ability to command the expansive program he performed this past Tuesday, featuring — among others — Igor Stravinsky’s Suite Italienne, Evard Grieg’s Sonata No. 3 in C minor and the obscure Mozart Sonata No. 20 in C major, K 303.

Ehnes began the night with his rendition of Stravinky’s Suite Italienne, an interesting choice due to its only partial focus on the capabilities of a violinist’s technique. Instead, Suite Italienne focuses on the violinist’s ability to convey Stravinky’s rhythmical stamp in the bow hand while maintaining flawless tone and phrasing. Suite Italienne ultimately served as an ideal piece to start the evening, decreeing Ehnes’ sound as natural, conditioned and powerful.
Suite’s placid and balanced classical motifs careened into capriciousness with the program’s next piece — Grieg’s Sonata No. 3 in C minor — which vacillates between phrases of passion, the questioning of these ardent feelings and the truthful conviction in them. Inspired by a home visit by the alluring 20 year-old violinist Teresina Tua, Grieg’s Sonata No. 3 was his final chamber work and sonata for violin.

Even amidst the emotional torrent of the piece, Weiss followed and listened to Ehnes with stunning precision. His accompaniment was honest, providing immeasurable stability for Ehnes’s frenetic playing, and his phrasing was concise, emphasizing the thoughtful and appropriate arrival points of the music.
The last two pieces of the program modeled after the same type of pattern presented in the first half, with an immensely dramatic work providing a counter-balance to a lighter-natured one. The Mozart Sonata No. 20 — which Ehnes referred to as a “sorbet cleansing the palate” — contained only two movements: Adagio, Molto Allegro and Tempo di Menuetto. Serving as a portal into the life of the 22 year-old Mozart — the age at which he composed the sonata — the piece was innocent and cute, lacking the blemishes of the bleak realities of Mozart’s later life. The light-hearted Mozart piece was then capped off with the Saint-Saens’ Sonata No. 1 in D minor which ends on a surprisingly jocular major chord.

As “the Heifetz of our day,” Ehnes certainly lives up to the reputation of his predecessor; however, unlike Heifetz (who was criticized for his cold, detached playing), Ehnes’s playing fully embodies the phrasing and tonal spectrum of a piece. Simply mastering violin technique is not his first priority. Rather, his playing serves as a bridge between the past and the present, producing a unique sound that is both modern and traditional.