Jonathan Berger: Miracles and Mud
Posted by Jay Batzner in CD Review, Jay Batzner, Naxos
Jonathan Berger
Miracles and Mud
Naxos
Eli Eli, Sink or Swim, Miracles and Mud, for amos, Doubles; Livia Sohn: Sink or Swim and for amos, St. Lawrence String Quartet: Eli Eli, Miracles and Mud, Doubles
These string works by Jonathan Berger present a wide variety of musical languages and tremendous emotional and technical prowess by composer and performer alike. Eli Eli for string quartet, is a lovely and heart-wrenching chorale with lush and sometimes sinister harmonies. The performance is passionate without being overly sentimental or sappy.
Sink or Swim is a solo violin work performed by the inhuman Livia Sohn. The four movements are based on a Scottish folk tune and each of these sections comes across a little disjointed. The piece progresses as a fantasia through a kaleidoscope: fragments of material bounce off one another yet never seem to congeal into a total picture. Ms. Sohn slides through this chop buster with ease and fluidity.
Miracles and Mud is a meaty string quartet. The opening unison is jerky, off-balance, and captivating. The piece flips through a dizzying array of emotional states often ending in surprising and powerful climaxes. When I was first listening to this disc, I have to admit I wasn’t sure if I really liked the music I heard. Once I got into Miracles and Mud, gentle readers, I was hooked. This is a powerful piece that more people need to hear. The St. Lawrence Quartet handles the small moments with the same energy as the wild explosions. Mr. Berger is an intense composer and writes insanely well for strings. Listening to this quartet is a lesson in orchestration. Compelling, engaging, and emotionally draining.
We return to solo violin music with for amos. Again, this piece is a series of short gestures, but I find each of these movements more engrossing and compelling than Sink or Swim. There is a better sense of continuity as well. Livia Sohn once again plays with the technique of 5 people. I think she might be the “six fingered violinist” that Schoenberg had in mind for his Violin Concerto.
The final quartet piece, Doubles has all the wonderful things that Miracles and Mud has, but seems to come from a place of serenity and joy instead of rage and passion. It is an excellent piece and a wonderful counterpart to Miracles and Mud. The St. Lawrence Quartet sounds great, as you would expect. A dark sound, a tender sound, but also a powerful and “in your face” sound when they need it.
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