Introspective at the ‘All Minimalism’ Recital

The Holland School faculty and special guests performed Minimalism Music on Sept. 25 at the River Campus, there were works from the founders of minimalism being played such as John Adams, Gavin Bryars and Arvo Part. It gave the audience a better understanding of minimalist music.

When someone thinks of Minimalist music they may think of a sound that is simple and can produce a maximum quality. The sound isn’t too complex and stays in a simple form. From the Minimalist music of the past, a listener may expect that the sound will incline on a certain aspect of itself and draw the audience in with changes to the repetition of a melody.

Minimalist music can convey the emotions of fear, doubt, sadness and happiness. The listener may think of film scores, because of the gradual incline in sound that many performers make to sway a person to a certain mood for a particular genre.

The music at times when conveying an emotion can make the audience think of themselves because of how they portray the sound, which can be characterized as “maximizing the simple.” Some people say the music can be related to listeners’ lives on a philosophical level.

John Adams’ “Christian Zeal and Activity” had repetition of a recorded street preacher’s voice. “Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet” had repetitions of a recorded man’s voice singing the name of the work. It seems like the listener could feel the slight changes in melody as the music inclined in sound over the repetition in the background.

Arvo Part’s Work Named “Spiegel im Spiegel” can be translated to “Mirror in Mirror,” which is accurately named because its notes are also repetitive, but for this work the music was the centerpiece, there were no recordings of voices being played, just two instruments, the piano and violin.

The other two works seemed to be based around the repetitive voices that preached certainty in an afterlife.

Paul Thompson, the conductor and pianist, said he had a taste for tonight’s minimalism music because it was sad and slow.

“You often have to be patient to listen to it.” Thompson said. The Work “Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet” was said to have been originally recorded to have the lines in the repetition repeated over 200 times, making it a patient listen.

Audience members may believe the work was a little long, but the recital did shorten it from its original state. The work itself started with the repetitious voice playing with no instruments, and after the instruments started they would stop occasionally. It makes the repetitive voice a structure the music can play around and sink in.

“I’ve been listening to minimalism music throughout my whole life,” Thompson said.

He also stated it has a rock influence and is oftentimes used in film scores. When asked what a new listener to minimalist music should test out, he mentioned Philip Glass along with John Adams, Arvo Part and Gavin Bryars.

The vocalists on the balcony for the last song set the final mood, it flowed with the repetition of Gavin Bryars work. The lights came up as the final repetition of the words “Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet” stopped.