“Live at Punkt” – Gavin Bryars Ensemble = GAVIN BRYARS: Selections from “Lauda” – Anna Maria Friman, sop./John Potter, tenor/Morgan Goff, viola/Nick Cooper, cello/Gavin Bryars, doublebass – GB Records BCGBCD 15 (Distr. by Allegro), 59:39 ****:
The sound world of Gavin Bryars has, for many years now, been one characterized by a mysterious ethereal display of clear tonality, slow moving line and a style that feels simultaneously very old and very modern. Bryars’ earliest works bore homage to John Cage. Works like his “Effarene” and his “1,2,1-2-3-4” sound improvised and yet are fully notated and carefully planned. Bryars’ “breakthrough” work was probably his “Sinking of the Titanic”. From 1969, this piece actually only received a recording with wide distribution, giving the composer an instant, wider recognition in the late 1990s, followed shortly by the other well-known masterwork, “Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet”. Yet, there is so much more to listen to and to know by Gavin Bryars. His music is consistently haunting, defined by a simple beauty and an almost unsettling aura.
Lately Bryars has concentrated on writing for the human voice – songs, madrigals, choral music, operas. Even an instrumental work like his Double Bass Concerto has a small choir of Russian bassos as part of the accompaniment. This latest disc, from Bryars’ own label and management company, is a live performance of many of his new versions of the medieval lauda, a kind of unaccompanied song originating in 14th century Italy. Bryars has set an entire manuscript of laudae (from Cortona), a total of about fifty vocal pieces. Bryars’ settings cover a wide assortment of voice and instrumental combinations. In this set, the vocals are carried masterfully by a single soprano and tenor.
This recording is simply exquisite. The music, itself, is just what I expected. It is restful, plaintive, beautiful and provocative to the ear. As in many of Bryars’ works, the effect is highly evocative of both the ancient as well as something new and undefinable. The vocal soloists are terrific. Both Anna Friman and John Potter have very distinct pitch and a melismatic style that is open, airy, non-operatic and wholly suitable to this music. The instrumental parts, headed by Gavin Bryars as the bassist, are not technically demanding but are critical in their dependence on subtle entrances and sublime control of volume and decay.
The recording is excellent, too, and the fact that it is a live recording, from the 2008 Punkt Festival (for new music) in Norway is not a detriment. In fact, the “ambience” of the crowd and their polite but enthusiastic response truly makes one wish they were there. I admit I have been a big admirer of Gavin’s music for a long time now but I recommend this disc for anyone seeking to know more about his music or just to have a completely unusual, tranquil listening experience. It is both relaxing and challenging, peaceful and provocative, ambient and attention demanding. This is highly recommended as a companion listening experience to his “Adnan Song Book”, among others.
— Daniel Coombs
