Morton FELDMAN (1923-1987)
Crippled Symmetry (1983)
The Feldman Soloists
Edward Blum (flutes), Jan Williams (percussion),
Nils Vigeland (piano/celesta)
rec. live, 12 June 2000, UB Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY
FROZEN REEDS fr1/2 [44:10 + 44:47]
For connoisseurs of Morton Feldman this will be a significant release. In
2000, Eberhard Blum, Nils Vigeland, and Jan Williams reformed as The Feldman
Soloists to perform Crippled Symmetry, the trio Feldman composed for
them, on the 25th anniversary celebration of the festival Feldman founded.
These aspects of the recording seem to make it an almost automatic reference
for the work, and flautist Eberhard Blum writes, “This turned out to
be one of the best performances that we had ever given together. The rare
and indescribable ‘magic moment’ of occasion and ambience seems
to have inspired us. The recording of the concert belongs to my most valued
sound documents. When I listened to it for the first time, my immediate reaction
was: this performance ought to be available on CD. Now, ten years later, it
is.”
Presented in a card gatefold with its two discs in paper envelopes, this release
is designed like a mini double-LP, with contemporary music nostalgia heightened
by a moody cover photo and right down to an intrepid lack of lettering on
the spine. Erhard Blum’s notes inside are usefully comprehensive and
full of first-hand details.
Crippled Symmetry is, relatively speaking, one of Morton Feldman’s
better-known works, and probably the easiest recording to obtain of late has
been that of the California EAR Unit (see review)
on the excellent Bridge label. This version is recorded fairly closely, and
the players do well to create atmosphere, though with the flute a little too
far forward in the balance the repetitions do tend to sound a little too much
like repetitions rather than a growing, organic series of patterns, and sonorities
which melt into and shift over each other in endless variations. The other
version collectors will have come across is on the Col Legno label, which
is a more attractive prospect. The recording has more resonance and a deeper
perspective, allowing the instrumental colours to combine more convincingly.
This ‘live in Buffalo’ recording falls somewhere in between with
regard to recorded quality, in decent enough sound but with the musicians
more distant, an quality which helps bring out the best of a pretty dry acoustic.
In terms of performance it is indeed top notch. Crippled Symmetry is
not what you would call ideally instrumented and, other than some phases on
bass flute, the wind instrument is always going to stick out with a gracelessly
angular contrast of timbre from the bell-like resonances of the piano and
tuned percussion. Flautist Eberhard Blum’s playing is suitably enigmatic,
and his phrasing and dynamic treatment of Feldman’s repeating shapes
makes this one of the most listenable versions of the three already mentioned.
There are occasional intonation issues, but those high ‘peaks’
are correctly reined in, avoiding for example the ‘dooo dooo WAAA doo’
effect in the opening which reduces the appeal of the Bridge label version
for me.
The only compromise with this recording is its live nature, and there is a
certain amount of audience noise - coughs and the like - to content with.
This relatively minor feature and a small price to pay, but if sepulchral
studio silence is important to you then the Col Legno version will be first
choice. Personally, I have my doubts as to whether Crippled Symmetry
is one of Feldman’s most successful works, full of fascination as it
is. The effect is a little rough around the edges which is probably part of
the work’s appeal, a bit like an extremely slowed-down Thelonious Monk.
If you are interested in further exploring Feldman’s art then Rothko
Chapelis always a good place to start, and Piano
and String Quartetan equally good place on which to build your
acquaintance. The String
Quartetis also very fine indeed.
As always with Feldman’s mature work, Crippled Symmetry is a
piece which really does need its space to unfold. The suspension of time,
tensions of cadence and quasi-release spread over many minutes and the interactions
of the players and the tonal colours they produce are all powerfully present,
and this is one of the finest performances you are ever likely to hear anywhere.
I just wish he’d used something other than that d*mn flute.
Dominy Clements
One of the finest performances you’re likely to hear anywhere.