Colin Currie Group plays Steve Reich at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, April 21st 2023

 

Music for 18 Musicians is quite possibly the most accessible avant-garde piece of music ever. That doesn’t diminish its impact nor its complexity. It’s not accessible because it’s simple, it’s accessible because it connects with the listener on a primal level. The comings and goings of the bass clarinets and voices are like breathing, while the rhythmical throbs of the marimbas feel like the pacing of movement. This Pulses, as each of the sections are called, paint a complete and fascinating picture of human movement. It never ceases to engage through its one hour length.

The ECM premiere recording, with the participation of the composer Steve Reich himself among the 18 musicians, is a classic. It’s perfect for relaxing, studying, as background music or for deep listening. I’ve been a fan of that recording for many years but I’ve only seen it performed live once. It was as a contemporary dance production. Rain, choreographed by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker at Palais Garnier in Paris. Another wonderful experience with the dancers being obviously at the forefront and the musicians sort of hidden in the orchestra pit. Choosing to go see one of my favorites at the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall was a no-brainer.

The Colin Currie Group was founded by Currie, main percussionist and conductor, with the intention of focusing on Steve Reich’s catalog. This all-Reich program opened with the Pulitzer Prize winner Double Sextet. The twelve musicians delivered an exhilarating performance that gained a spontaneous burst of applause at the end and garnered a palpable sense of accomplishment by the performers. It was a successful execution of a demanding piece. A perfect choice to open the program.

The contrast with the second piece of the program, Traveler’s Prayer, was evident from the start. Pulsating rhythms were absent, instead there was a highly melodic line that privileged the vocals. This piece, written during the pandemic, rooted in pre-renaissance religious content has all the traits of what’s qualified as a “mature work”. It was an engaging palette cleanser before the main course.

After the intermission the stage was reconfigured for the centerpiece of the concert. Just seeing the array of marimbas and pianos in the back was exhilarating. The elation of course extended into the performance, the whole one hour of it. I always wondered how would those voices flowing in and out and the deep staccatos from the bass clarinets would sound live. Now I know. The Colin Currie Group delivered and the audience was grateful. A truly warm and well deserved standing ovation for this beautiful gamelan inspired contemporary masterpiece capped the evening. 

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