Andrew Poppy is probably the least known of the once-new English
experimental school of composers, which includes Graham Fitkin,
Lawrence Crane, Howard Skempton and the late Patrick Morris,
amongst others. His neglect is a mystery to me for this is very
approachable music and a recent show at King’s Place, with
his new band, proved just what we are missing. This three CD
set is a retrospective and most welcome it is. An LP and CD of
the first four pieces was issued in 1985 and that was a revelation,
for here is a new kind of minimalism.
The Object is a Hungry
Wolf is a fine example of Poppy’s work, using the well
known language of American minimalism but allowing himself time
for the interpolation of lyrical material, and if this holds
up the minimal movement who cares? This is a very exciting piece,
full of chunky reeds and rampant keyboards, with strings and
voices. At first sight this might seem rather too familiar -
you might feel that Steve Reich is in there somewhere - but he
isn’t - for Poppy creates a sound entirely his own.
32
Frames for Orchestra is a thrusting, aggressively forward-moving,
piece for a largish ensemble, brilliantly played here under the
composer’s direction. There is a version Poppy made for
the Graham Fitkin Band but this is the original and it’s
the one to have for its sheer momentum. Accept no substitutes!
Listening In is a very funky chamber piece for trumpet
(Bruce Nockles), guitar (Jack Hughes) and keyboards, samples
and voice (Poppy). Drum led and it’s got an obsession about
it which keeps the music moving onwards. The
Cadenza for Piano
and Electric Piano (Glyn Perrin and Poppy) is a study in
the most minimal of repetition, a simple up-and-down arpeggio.
Inside
the Wolf uses Fairlight and Synclavier Samples - as I never
watched The Tube I had never heard this before - I suppose that
that says something about me!
The Impossible Net claims
to use the same orchestra as 32 Frames but you’d be hard
pushed to guess that was so for the first few minutes. It never
obviously becomes
orchestral music - there’s a lot of keyboard writing, as
well as what sounds like sampled guitar and drums. This is a
very strange sound-world. Finally,
Listening In (Re-modelled) another
exploration of unusual territory. This makes a suitably upbeat
end to the first CD.
The second disc,
Alphabed, was issued as a CD and LP in
1987 comprising the second, third and fourth tracks heard here.
The material is more pop-orientated than
The Beating of Wings,
but it’s pop filtered through the knowledge of Glass and
Reich. That said, Poppy’s music owes nothing to either
of the Americans except a passing nod in their direction for
the processes used. The sound-world here is clear and precise,
with a nice sense of humour showing through. The brilliant minimalist
conception that is
45 Is possesses great energy and it’s
full of interesting changes and instrumentation - good use of
voices too. To balance the extreme energy of
45 Is,
Goodbye
Mr G is nicely laid back, but it still has lots of subversive
things going on, not least the constant drumming, and the spectre
of an electric guitar.
The Amusement throws us back into
funk and repetition and a marvellously insistent bass. The last
three pieces run together as if they were sections of a larger
score.
Kink Konk Presto is a brass and rhythm -based driving
fast piece.
East Fragment is a piece which I can only
describe as being static whilst incorporating some movement,
while
Kink Konk Adagio continues in the vein of
East
Fragment but with slower funk material added. This is a very
exciting CD, which shows several different sides to Poppy’s
talent.
The final disk,
Under the Son, here receives its first
issue. It’s short on playing time but big on substance.
The
Sequence features the usual Poppy mix of drums and rhythm
section, over which a male voice intones what sounds like nonsense
words. It’s the most “60s” of the pieces, trancelike
and simple in its effect.
The Passage (Parts 1, 2, 3) is
the longest work here and it is fully developed, the growth being
splendidly worked out, and the whole making a very satisfying
composition. This is a good place to start for it speaks in a
straightforward language and is easy to understand, despite the
terse argument Poppy creates. No bad thing for a contemporary
composer. Finally,
Sometimes it Rains, a short rhythmic
piece brings the sequence to a joyful close.
This is a very exciting set of CDs, of music by one of the lesser-known,
but certainly not lesser talented, British composers at work
today. Poppy’s work is unique, and although he uses minimalist
forms he has forged his own style and voice. The presentation
is excellent, in a sleeve which opens to reveal the three CDs
and a very useful booklet. This is not to be missed.
It can be bought from Andrew
Poppy's website.
Bob Briggs
No performance details provided
