Prom 37: Steve Reich Colin Currie, Richard Benjafield, Sam Walton, Joby Burgess, Antoine Bedewi, Adrian Spillett, Dave Jackson, Owen Gunnell, Andrew Cottee - percussion; Rowland Sutherland - piccolo; Synergy Vocals, Royal Albert Hall (10.15pm) 10.08 2006 (JW)

 

 

Clapping Music (1972)
Nagoya Marimbas (1994);
Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ (1973 Drumming (1970- 71)

 

 

In a year when two big musical anniversaries bulk large on the concert landscape, it was good to see Steve Reich's 70th birthday marked with this Proms retrospective. Three of the four works, all of them for percussion ensembles, were first Proms performances. Hindsight enables this composer's very considerable innovation and effects upon subsequent musical life to be appreciated and all but one  of tonight's works were written in the early 1970's. Steve Reich's music at that time embraced a new and larger artistic world view, relaxing the boundaries between popular music and high culture, and drawing upon traditions from Africa and Asia as well as Europe. Both of these have had very significant and lasting influence on the subsequent course of music making and music buying in the West. Ambiguity of metre and an emphasis on rhythm brought new challenges to both performer and listeners.

 

A good attendance, perhaps 60% capacity despite the late hour, as well as a high level of enthusiasm showed strong interest including (perhaps predictably) but not restricted to, Arena promenaders and this was reflected also in the very warm reception given to the players. Lengthy queues had been seen outside the Albert Hall for Proms tickets.

 

One had the sense of being at a seminal event, of important recent music being acknowledged and honoured for the contribution it has undoubtedly made. There was a sense of nostalgia to some extent, inevitably, but also the recalling of optimism, pushing forward and breaking down barriers which characterised the early 1970's, was challenging in the light of the present international climate and recent events.

 

The concert opened bravely with Clapping Music, a duet for two musicians using nothing but their own hands, and hence using modulations exclusively of rhythm rather than of pitch. This focused the ear better than might have been expected, and was also remarkably easy to hear in what can be an unforgiving space. The echo of the hall enhanced the piece rather than the opposite. Applause for the work was no less than thunderous.

 

This was followed by another short duet, this time for two marimbas - a more recent work for an instrument the composer frequently works with and has popularised. Again this was well played and very well received.

 

The next work, Music for Mallet Instruments, Voices and Organ, was perhaps both the best-known and the most successful of the evening's items. It was a welcome and exciting opportunity to experience a live performance of a work well known through its recordings. It is long enough for the music to develop; but not long enough for the listener's concentration to be strained. The use of organ, rather than synthesizer, as here (although the composer endorses both) gives a more dramatic account in my opinion, as well as emphasising acoustic rather than electronic performance. However this is a relatively minor quibble in what was an excellent performance of an important and influential work.

 

I would also remark on how well minimalist works sound generally in the Albert Hall; I would have enjoyed hearing this had I been (as I sometimes have) a gallery Promenader. Music for Mallet Instruments.. has forshadowings of The Desert Music and of Tehilim and it would be wonderful to hear either of these larger works in this space which particularly suits works involving both singers and instrumental forces,

 

Drumming, which followed, is also an important work, and one that brought Reich to prominence. He wrote it having just returned to the USA from a study visit to Ghana, where he had studied traditional drumming. At almost an hour in length, the piece has four sections, using different instrumental combinations - tuned bongos; marimbas with voice and organ; glockenspiels with piccolo -  and then all three together. The emphasis on rhythm rather than pitch or key as the source of variation and progression through the work is innovative; it is not always easy to keep concentration as it has quite a hypnotic effect, but the listener can allow themselves to be a little submerged by it - an effect which worked well in this late night performance.

 

Once again, the Hall's acoustic worked well for the piece; rich full pulsating sound in this late night event created almost an urge to dance, even in this relatively sedate and respectable venue.

 

The performers were full of enthusiasm. Unlike some performances, there as absolutely no difficulty in hearing clearly!  They were rewarded by almost equal enthusiasm from the audience and only the lateness of the hour, with a finish minutes before midnight precluded an encore, which would have been well deserved.

 

Those who would like to hear more of Steve Reich's music in this anniversary year should note that there is a concert in the autumn Aldeburgh season celebrating his work, and also Barbican series devoted to his music and that of his pupil and fellow minimalist John Adams, whose work is the subject of the next Prom. Online reosurces are available at www.stevereich.com.

 

 

 

Julie Williams