This concert was part of a series featuring Thomas Ades. Two of his compositions were played, two arrangements were played, and he conducted the ensembles as well. The first piece (Powder on her Face) was a mixed bag of styles. Ades blended different elements into a solo piano performance that at times seemed improvised, at times seemed very strict and exacting. The Ligeti pieces featured massive amounts of percussion (played by three percussionists) and a mezzo-soprano. A series of short, playful pieces featuring gongs, marimbas, pitched and un-pitched metallophones, as well as the mezzo singing in multiple languages, and at times gibberish.
The arrangements of Nancarrow’s Studies for player piano were by far my favorite pieces of the night. It was quite amazing to watch two players perform these complex pieces. I imagine what a feat it must have been to arrange them, transcribing from a player piano roll into notation. There was also a video playing, which I found only to detract from the performance onstage.
Next was a premiere of a Coll piece (who, as Kyle pointed out is younger than me). It sounded as if the performers were playing 80 different Frank Zappa riffs, from different points in his career, all at once. It made my head want to explode. The concert finished up with another piece by Ades, which he conducted. This piece also contained non-traditional percussion (including a rock), and was rhythmically complex.
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