Something New

Decided to download some music by the recently deceased composer Jonathan Harvey yesterday, and haven't been able to stop listening to it. The piece in question is called Bhakti, and I selected it pretty much at random, because I liked the title (which sort of half-reminded me of a great phase of ace guitarist John McLaughlin's career) and because I'd vaguely picked up through reading here & there about the composer that it's seen as representative, in a good way, of his work in general. He's known for experimenting with sound, ả la all those IRCAM johnnies, and there's a fair amount of that in Bhakti, though at times it sounds conventional enough - in a modernist, avant garde manner - such that you've got to listen out for it - the sound bending, I mean.

In fact, you've simply got to listen to this music, otherwise there's absolutely no point to it. As background it would empty a room sharpish with its dissonances and unexpected lurches, and it's just too odd and does too much to sort of amiably relax to, soundscape fashion. Frankly it irritates, unless you listen; and then it compels. Partly this is because even on a fourth listen you've no real idea what it's going to do next; and partly it's because eventually it all seems to fit together and make some kind of sense.

I suppose I should feel quite sophisticated listening to what I suspect quite a few folk would regard as cutting edge, arty sort of stuff. But it actually makes me feel quite childish, not really knowing what's going on but stumbling around in its sound world like a kid in a particularly well appointed amusement park. What this must be like to experience in the concert hall, I'd love to know, but severely doubt I'll ever find out.