20th century composers are bit of an underrated genre that might need to stay that way. For anyone that is a fan of Max Richter, Jóhann Jóhannsson, or Goldmundyou might just agree. Anyone that has seen said acts live know that the experience of witnessing a modern composer is a deeply intimate and wondrous experience. What we don’t need is a legion of drunken fans imposing on an already perfected concert environment. The night I saw Dustin O’Halloran with Hauschka was precisely the atmosphere I expected, and all the better, both artists performed admirably. Not to mention the immensely talented Magik*Magik Orchestra provided strings for these gifted composers. It was the Swedish American Music Hall that made for the best location for these artists to showcase their talents.
Dustin O'Halloran
Dustin O’Halloran, known for his work on the Marie Antoinette soundtrack, brought his minimalistic style to the Hall that evening, playing mostly off his latest release, Piano Solos. The title says it all, however at the show, it was a bit different. With the addition of the Magik*Magik Orchestra, Dustin’s movements made tidal motions over the crowd with effortless elegance. It was difficult to not fall into a meditative state when listening to the compositions.
Magik*Magik Orchestra
If anything, Dustin’s music colorful and has this sense of vibrancy that goes beyond labels like ‘neo-classical’ and ‘post-classical.’ When his music is melancholy or joyous or curious, it’s felt and heard without words. I for one ended up having a big fat smile on my face when Dustin bowed at the end of his set. It was quite magical.
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[mp3] Dustin O’Halloran – Opus # 12 from Piano Solos (2010)
Hauschka
Dusseldorf, Germany’s Hauschka (Volker Bertelmann) is not your average modern composer. If anything, he’s an experimental musician that skews technique and tradition and combines it with playful creativity. While there is plenty of loneliness and haunting moments in his music, the very essence of Hauschka’s pieces are unpredictability and childlike creativity.
Hauschka
During his set, there were moments where you felt as though his music was crossing into ‘pop’ territory. Not without gracefully traversing through moments of minimalistic jazz and dipping into spaces that reminded me of Phillip Glass.
Hauschka
The highlight had to be when he dumped a basket full of ping-pong balls into the piano. As Hauschka played the piano, the ping pong balls would react to the intensity of the song. If he slowed down, they would settle, if he picked things up, they would jump and fly out. Not to mention the fair share of toys he brought with him for his performance, one of which was a vibrator (don’t ask). These ‘instruments’ made this composer seem more like Aphex Twin than a neo-classical composer.
Once the show wrapped up, I found myself admiring a true musician. One that lets his music form through creative expression, as he shares his unique talents with an audience willing to give him the silence he deserves.
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[mp3] Hauschka – Morgenrot from Ferndorf (2008)
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