About 17 minutes into the Detroit Symphony Orchestras performance of Ferran Cruixents Cyborg on Thursday, a tiny recorder sounded a high, piccolo-like tone. The orchestra stopped in its tracks and made a U-turn toward the heavens. <\/p>\n
What had been an earthly cauldron of contrasting sonorities buzzing string harmonics, stuttering reeds, musicians inhaling and exhaling air, brazen and brassy tone clusters, domineering rhythmic repetitions, lascivious trombone slides, dissonant climaxes shouted at full voice morphed into an ethereal glow. Strings hovered, and musicians began to softly sing chant-like plainsong. Muted trombones joined the rhythm of the voices. Suddenly, ringing melodies prerecorded on the musicians cell phones rippled through the air, the fault line between acoustic and electronic sound dissolving in midair. <\/p>\n
Man and machine became one. The 10th Century shook hands with the 21st Century. And the audience swooned with delight. Cruxient had them at hello. <\/p>\n
Born in Barcelona, Spain, the 37-year-old Cruixent (CRU-shent) is all but unknown in America, but his distinctive voice deserves wider attention. Certainly, he seems to have found a champion in DSO music director Leonard Slatkin, who has a sharp ear for young talent and landed the North American premiere of Cyborg in Detroit. The composer is interested in big ideas concerning the marriage of humanity and technology in contemporary life, and in Cyborg the title refers to human-machine hybrids he has created a 25-minute meditation on the theme. <\/p>\n
Despite its progressive surface, however, the music is by no means radical. Cruxient employs all kinds of techniques associated with the avant-garde of the 1960s and 70s, but channels them into often traditional melodic and harmonic material and accessible rhythm. In the end, Cyborg is an interesting synthesis of experimental and conservative impulses, delivered with a high level of craftsmanship and taste. Slatkin led a beautifully prepared performance, clarifying the rhythms and densities and liberating the musics emotional content; the players enthusiastically bought into Cruxients language. I look forward to hearing more from this intriguing composer. <\/p>\n
Elsewhere, young French-born violinist Alexandra Soumm made an impressive American debut with Jean Sibelius beloved Violin Concerto. Soumms cavernous sound and virtuoso flair made for an exciting thrill ride through the piece, though her hot-wired approach captured little of the poetic mystery embedded in the score. <\/p>\n
After intermission Slatkin and the DSO turned to Gustav Mahlers Symphony No. 4, which, at less than an hour, is the shortest, most intimate and sunniest of the composers symphonies. Slatkin led an even-tempered and smartly proportioned musical account that was long on lyricism and forward momentum but short on revelation. The orchestra spoke in a single, lush voice, though I wanted more sparkle and elegance from the cellos. Principal horn Karl Pituchs warm solos were a highlight, and though soprano soloist Ilana Davidson lacked power, her light-textured voice made a graceful evocation of heaven in the finale. <\/p>\n
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DSO's 'Cyborg' a successful blending of modern with traditional<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" About 17 minutes into the Detroit Symphony Orchestras performance of Ferran Cruixents Cyborg on Thursday, a tiny recorder sounded a high, piccolo-like tone. The orchestra stopped in its tracks and made a U-turn toward the heavens. What had been an earthly cauldron of contrasting sonorities buzzing string harmonics, stuttering reeds, musicians inhaling and exhaling air, brazen and brassy tone clusters, domineering rhythmic repetitions, lascivious trombone slides, dissonant climaxes shouted at full voice morphed into an ethereal glow Continue reading