When considering the
viability of a given art form, one must
wonder where the next generation of
talent is currently incubating. There
is never a static state to any performed
art; it cannot simply lie stagnant;
it is constantly evolving, coming more
into the public consciousness or being
ignored as the art slowly dies. Symphonic
music is arguably the most mature of
the performed arts still extant, and
as such the sheer volume of its history
seems often to overwhelm the listener.
Most fans will find themselves returning
time and again to the same pieces by
the same composers, perhaps even the
same recordings made decades ago. However
a music where this is the framework,
where it survives is on life support,
has already heard its own banshee.
Thus as a lover of
classical and symphonic music, it was
a great pleasure to hear this disc for
the first time. The two composers were
born in 1977, and have already found
distinct voices, writing music that
is both steeped in tradition and yet
vibrant and alive. The two men are bound
together by more than their age. They
are both from the eastern Mediterranean,
Cetiz being from Turkey and Demopoulos
from Greece. They studied together at
the Royal Northern College of Music
under Dr. Anthony Gilbert. They are
pianists with the Anairesis ensemble
together, and even perform each others
works.
The first three works
are by Mahir Cetiz, who also performs
on piano on his own Triptych for
piano solo. His works here are
often serious, bordering on brooding,
alternating with mysterious introspection.
They have a sound reminiscent of the
works of a pre-tone-row Schoenberg or
a young Stravinsky when writing for
smaller ensembles. Freely tonal and
respectfully dissonant without ever
abusing or alienating the listener,
these works are quite beautiful in their
introspection. The Polarisation hearkens
back to Stravinsky, and is among the
more interesting pieces for unaccompanied
instrument that this reviewer has encountered
in the realm of new music. It is possibly
his best work here, and is beautifully
performed by Ates Kirkan, for whom the
piece was originally written.
Demopoulos makes a
greater use of instruments and incorporates
a broader musical tradition. His Theme
and variations on a villota by Filipoto
Azzaiolo is a five movement work
based on a late 16th century
original. The instrumentation of flute,
cor anglais, clarinet, bassoon and horn
is flexible, and refers back to works
of the Renaissance, blended magnificently
with the tonalities and timbres of the
early 20th century. Each
movement builds logically upon the last,
progressing in a traditional way in
both tempo and tonality, but staying
fresh throughout. There are moments
where one can almost feel the tonalities,
and others where the composer experiments
with the open baroque or renaissance
treatment that must bear close resemblance
to the original. The Three songs
for bass and piano are performed
by Mahir Cetiz and Richard Weingold.
This is a song cycle with texts from
various sources centring on the theme
of human alienation. The performers
do a worthy job of an innovative, if
somewhat depressing, work. The third
piece, Of Seventh Doors, is a
very worthy work, with seven continuously
played movements. It was inspired by
Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle,
and borrows from the voicings and tonalities
of the original. Even so, it maintains
a strong character of its own. There
are more avant-garde elements here with
strumming on the strings inside the
piano and alternate bowing techniques
on the cello. The result is a wonderful
blending of the romantic, the modern
and the post-modern to make a young
man’s masterpiece.
This album is a joy.
It shows the future of symphonic music,
and makes a strong case that its future
is strong and healthy. Demopoulos in
particular is a shining light in the
land of young composers, and all six
pieces are quite good. Anyone interested
in the future of symphonic music should
find this album.
Patrick Gary
Anairesis Ensemble/Matthew Coorey