Time Out Chicago /
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ICE + So Percussion
Columbia College Concert Hall; Fri 11
Time Out Chicago / Issue 115: May 10–16, 2007
By Marc
Geelhoed
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So Percussion
Last year passed with a single Chicago tribute concert to Steve Reich’s 70th birthday, held at Northwestern, so these two ensembles make up for some of that oversight. The International Contemporary Ensemble planned a four-hour Steve Reich Marathon with 11 works covering Reich’s entire career, and something that big requires some outside assistance.
The New York-based So Percussion released a recording of Reich’s Drumming in 2005, and it’ll perform it at this show. Reich’s own ensemble recorded it twice, the first lasting 85 minutes, the second 55. So Percussion’s tightly knit version lands in the middle, at 73 minutes, which seems to be an ideal length for the work. It should be pointed out that studio wizardry allowed the quartet to perform the nine parts by itself, and that ICE’s percussionists will help out tonight.
The balance of the bill includes such Reich classics as Four Organs and Violin Phase, along with Different Trains, for string quartet and tape, which ICE played earlier this season. ICE’s outstanding clarinetist Joshua Rubin is featured in New York Counterpoint, for clarinet and tape, and ICE founder and flutist Claire Chase takes charge with Vermont Counterpoint, for flute and tape.
Only the fanatical will stay for the entire program, but since ICE and So Percussion put Drumming last on the program, you may want to join them.
