Review Excerpts
The Dallas Morning News
Classical Music Review
Tuesday, April 24, 2001
RE-ORIENTED
Concert reveals new side of China
By Olin Chism
Chinese music has ancient history, but the compositions on the "Chinese Visions" program by Voices of Change on Monday night were as new as the 1990s. The five composers represented are all of Chinese birth or descent and all have strong ties to the United States.
The resulting crosscurrents were evident, but the music was most effective when Western influences were the least intrusive.
The most remarkable work on the program was Bending Duration, Breathing Distance by Jason Kao Hwang, the only composer of the five who was not born in China. He a native of Illinois.
His highly original work uses the Chinese erhu and Tibetan chime, but mixes in a cello, an accordion and a vibraphone. This is an unusual assortment of instruments, to put it mildly—there may be no other work using the same combination.
The amazing thing is that they all blended so well to create a sound picture of great unity and real emotional impact. Mr. Hwang has a phenomenal ear for sound color. The Western instruments are often played in unusual ways, but never is there a sense that the composer is stretching for effect or simply engaging in technical stunts.
An example is the accordion, which can be and usually is an assertive instrument. But here its use was subtle and always understated. There were times, particularly at the beginning, when one would have been hard put to identify the instrument if this performance had been from a recording.
The music was occasionally eerie, but the overall mood was peaceful and always pleasant.
The performers, a subtle and effective group, were Barbara Hustis on erhu, Peter Steffens onf cello, Mary Medrick on accordion and Nate Buonviri on vibraphone and chime.
Another composition by Mr. Hwang, Interior Migrations, closed the program. Although it used erhu and pipa, as well as a viola and bass clarinet, it seemed more Western-oriented, at least in imparting a sense of movement and orientation towards a goal, and was less effective than its predecessor.
Still, anyone who can create a work such as Bending Duration, Breathing Distance, has some powerful assets.
A pipa virtuoso, Min Xiao-Fen, was present for two solos: C-A-G-E by Tan Dun and Run by Bun-Ching Lam. Both works were atmospheric and, despite some rapid fingerwork, evoked a sense of almost timelessness. Fast tempos and loud dynamics were not the rule on Monday night.
Three interesting Chinese love songs by Bright Sheng and Qi by Chen Yi the least successful work of the evening—rounded out the program.
In addition to those mentioned, the performers were pianist Jo Boatright, soprano Lucy Tamez Creech, flutist and conductor Harvey Boatright, violist Kristen Swanson and bass clarinetist Christopher Runk.
