[Originally published in the Toronto Star]
★★★½ (out of four)
Steve Reich at Massey Hall, April 14.
There are four stages to becoming a famous composer: 1: “Who is Steve Reich?” 2: “You need to hear Steve Reich.” 3: “Make it sound more like Steve Reich.” 4: “Look, there’s Steve Reich!”
The fourth materialized last night, as Steve Reich made a rare appearance in Toronto as part of his 80th birthday celebration at the befittingly legendary Massey Hall.
Starting with Clapping Music, Reich (wearing his stock baseball cap), joined longtime collaborator Russell Hartenberger to perform the Palmas style handclapping in front of a pair of microphones. The duo clapped through a patterned 12-beat phrase held steady by Reich, while Hartenberger gradually shifted his part until the two came back into sync. At once a kind of party trick, (my wife and I learned it in University and pull it out in times of need) it brought the audience hooting and hollering.
Then was Tehillim, which opened with some difficulty. The four vocalists (Lesley Bouza, Michele DeBoer, Carla Huhtanen, Laura Pudwell) were tough to hear over the loud maracas played by percussionist Ryan Scott. This was likely a mixing issue, as the performance was entirely amplified. There was also a perilous moment when the percussionists fell out of sync, causing a mild panic and the musicians thrust the music back into stride. Things settled during the second slow movement, and Tehillim unfolded with the strings played sans vibrato throughout. The drone like intonation quickly befell the musicians as much as the on looking audience.
The high point came with Music for 18 Musicians. Steve Reich composed the hour-long epic some 40 years ago, but it remains a doorway for Reich’s maverick aesthetic. This performance showed exactly why.
The music pulsed with bewitching textures played in a devil-may-care style by the ensemble that not so much announced the piece, but allowed it to be discovered.
The group featured notable musicians violinist Jesse Zubot and clarinetist Lori Freedman (who led the ensemble), as well as a handful of original members of The Steve Reich Ensemble: Bob Becker, Garry Kvistad, and Russell Hartenberger.
One of the most miraculous things about 18 Musicians is its ability to act as a vessel for catharsis. It is open enough to allow listeners to sink deep into its musical pillow. Patrons were seen leaning over the railings in the upper balcony with rapt amazement. This was huge, robust music that led through various gradually shifting patterns, played as a whole.
Any appearance by Steve Reich is an event, and its mark was left on a grateful audience who rose to give an enthusiastic ovation. Too bad it was only one night.
#LUDWIGVAN
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