Michael Jackson. After blinking a bunch of times, that was
still the first name I spotted in the program for the Seattle Chamber
Players’ Icebreaker IV festival. Michael Jackson is part of the SCP’s
three-day event, but indirectly: William Brittelle, a twentyish New
York–based composer, collaged parts of the pop icon’s biggest
hits including “Beat It,” and “Human Nature,” into a piece for chamber
ensemble, Michael Jackson.
The decidedly avant bent of Icebreaker IV—subtitled
“The American Future No Rules/All Ages”—is due to the curators,
Alex Ross and Kyle Gann. For the festival’s first night, Ross,
classical music critic of the New Yorker, corralled Brittelle
and other upcoming composers, notably composer/DJ Mason Bates, Anna
Clyne, and Nico Muhly, a protégé of Philip Glass.
Gann, a composer and chronicler of New York’s famed “Downtown” scene
of the 1980s and ’90s, curates the second evening with premieres by Eve
Beglarian, Seattle’s own Janice Giteck, the underrated
microtonalist Elodie Lauten, and William Duckworth’s Cathedral
Band. I’m also eager to hear The Light Within by John Luther
Adams, an Alaska composer influenced by Morton Feldman
(1926–1987) and the remote wilderness.
On Sunday, the SCP embarks on a Feldman marathon, essaying pieces
such as Crippled Symmetry, De Kooning, For Bass
Clarinet and Percussion, and For Franz Kline. Humbly
speckled with just a few notes, cryptic rhythms, and often hovering at
the threshold of audibility, Feldman’s music bewitches the
ear.
There’s much more to Icebreaker IV: For details on the preconcert
talks, “meet the composer” events, and panel discussions, see www.seattlechamberplayers.org.
Icebreaker IV hits Fri Jan 25 and Sat Jan 26 (On the Boards, 100
W Roy St, 217-9888), 8 pm, $12–$20. The Morton Feldman Marathon
on Sun Jan 17 (Seattle Art Museum, 1300 First Ave, 654-3100), 1:30 pm,
is free with museum admission.
Thurs 1/24
SCMS WINTER FESTIVAL
The winter version of the Seattle Chamber Music Society’s popular
summer festival looks a bit different this year. The usual suspects
(Bach, Mozart, Brahms, et al.) spice up rather than dominate the
program. Each day of the four-day festival has a gem or two: the
Quintet for Piano and Strings in F sharp minor, op. 67 by Amy
Beach (1867—1944), the first prominent woman composer in America
(Fri Jan 25); the masterly Jeremy Denk tackles Bach’s Goldberg
Variations (Sat Jan 26); and in an afternoon free preconcert
recital, clarinetist Sean Osborn plays two classics, Three Pieces
for Clarinet by Stravinsky and the haunting Abyss of the
Birds from Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time (Sun
Jan 27, 2 pm). Through Sun Jan 27; see scmf.org for details. Recital Hall at
Benaroya, 200 University St, 283-8808, 7:30 pm, $10/$42.
PLAY! A VIDEO GAME SYMPHONY
At a recent festival in Canada, Anthony Braxton decreed that “anyone
seriously studying composition and making music in this current
time-space needs to pay attention to what the video-game people are
doing. They’re navigating a dynamic system that can go just about
anywhere at any time and we can learn a lot from their solutions.” I
believe that such dynamic systems—whatever they might
be—will be essential to engaging the ADD-afflicted audiences of
today. Here, in what seems to be more of a suite than a symphony, the
Seattle Symphony performs music from various video games including
Halo, Sonic the Hedgehog, Final Fantasy, and
World of Warcraft. Also Sat Jan 26 at 1 pm. Benaroya Hall,
200 University St, 215-4747, 7:30 pm, $17—$95.
ATOMIC
Propelled by the phenomenal drumming of Paal Nilssen-Love, this
quintet combines the melodic intensity reminiscent of Miles Davis’ late
’60s freebop groups with the fury of free jazz. Reservations
recommended. Tula’s, 2214 Second Ave, 443-4221, 8 pm, $14.
Fri 1/25
SEATTLE SYMPHONY
Carolyn Kuan leads the band in a free, all-Mozart concert. Aside
from two symphonies—the negligible Symphony No. 1 and
the fine Symphony No. 40—the band delivers the best
wine-pouring music ever written, the Allegro from Eine Kleine
Nachtmusik. Violinist Quinton Morris solos in the Allegro from
Concerto No. 3 in G major for Violin and Orchestra.
Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave, 684-7171, noon—1 pm,
free.
Sat 1/26
GOLY GRIM
Devoutly abrasive grindcore rockers Goly Grim transmute their
CD-release shindig into a microfestival of noisy experimental music
with Sparkle Girl, Eric Ostrowski, Blue Sabbath Black Cheer, and
others. Columbia City Theatre, 4916 Rainier Ave S, 723-0088, 7 pm,
$5.
Sun 1/27
TIM CATLIN
Using fans, e-bows, and other devices, this Australian guitarist
makes droning, elongated textures that are sometimes beautiful,
sometime scarred, and always shivering and squirming with life. Also on
the bill: Paintings for Animals, guitar saboteur Bill Horist, and Matt
Shoemaker, one of our burg’s most compelling composers of
electroacoustic music. Gallery 1412, 1412 18th Ave, 322-1533, 8 pm,
free, but donations accepted.
