WILLIAM KRAFT: Encounters I (Soliloquy for solo percussion); Encounters II (solo tuba); Encounters III (duel for trumpet and percussion); Encounters IV (duel for trombone and percussion); Encounters V (In the Morning of the Winter Sea, cello and percussion); Encounters VI (concertino for roto toms and percussion quartet); Encounters VII (Blessed are the Peacemakers, speaker and percussion); Encounters VIII (Divinations, percussion); Encounters IX (alto saxophone and percussion); Encounters X (duologue for violin and marimba); Encounters XII (The Gabrielic Foray, harp and percussion); Encounters XIII (concertino for percussion and woodwind quintet); Encounters XIV (concerto for violin, piano, percussion); Encounters XV (guitar and percussion) – Southwest Chamber Music/ Tambuco Percussion Ensemble – Cambria 1191 (3 CDs), 175:49 ***** [Distr. by Naxos]:
Now this is a real walk down memory lane. In 1974 I first came across the London disc that features Kraft’s Piano Concerto played by the LA Philharmonic and conducted by Zubin Mehta, and later participated in a concert performance of this same work in college, while getting several composition lessons with the composer. Kraft was one of the percussionists for the LA Phil at that point in his career, and Mehta was kind enough to record some of his music. Kraft later went on to write some of the most formidably challenging percussion music ever contemplated, and there is no contemporary percussionist on the current scene that has not been exposed to his music. He exploits all of his considerable knowledge to full effect in his percussion music, creating a sound world of multifaceted and extraordinarily varied depth and sonic substance. Is it avantgarde—absolutely! But of a type and substance that goes further along than labels might indicate. While it is not for the general listener, the same might find something in this collection that he or she really enjoys.
The pieces on this fabulous disc (audiophiles take note that aside from the lack of SACD I cannot imagine a better recording of anything) covers 14 of the 15 “Encounters” that Kraft has carved out to display the virtues of his native percussionist’s world, both singly, in contrast with each other, and in contrast to other select instruments. Most are rather abstract while a few have descriptive titles that are quite apropos. The range of color and moods is legion; Kraft hypnotizes us into thinking that music should sound no other way, even though we know that similar attempts by lesser (and greater) figures than himself have failed often, and miserably.
I can’t review all of these pieces; I will mention that I think I am most attracted to the third disc, X and XII for marimba and harp in sequence. Don’t fret at the absence of Encounter XI—it has been recorded sumptuously by Kraft’s friend Carolyn Hove, English hornist for the LA Phil, on Crystal Records 329 – a must-have disc. This is not music that you will listen to for hours at a time, but it will certainly expand your horizons and give you some fresh insights into the world of percussion and quality modern composition. The performances are superb and all supervised by the composer, thus definitive.
— Steven Ritter
