I went to see a concert with Mark Takeshi McGregor performing on flute and Adrian Verdejo on guitar called Toward the sea on the 20th of March 2019 at UBC. The concert was held during the noon hours in the Barnett Hall of the music building. The pieces were composed of multicultural sounds from Japan, Argentina, Mexico and Canada that opposed mainstream conventions. Most of these tunes strayed away from repetitive bars and keys, different from the western classical music format consisting of verses arranged in a poetic manner that we have focused on in class. The flute often created harsh low sounds using large gushes of breath that emerged as obstructions to the smooth melody created by the guitar.
The first song performed is called Towards the Sea (1981) by Toru Takemitsu. According to the performers Takemitsu was a great composer in the classical music tradition form 1930 to 1996 and was knows as the Debussy of Japan as he created colourful impressionistic scores of music. The piece influenced by the novel Moby Dick is composed of three movements, the night, Moby Dick and Cape cod. The first movement called the night creates a sense of a nocturnal environment. The movement itself has dubious and dark undertones that guides the symphony and leaves the audience picturing mystical and enchanting scenes. This sense of imagery that the movement successfully captures ties in with the 19th century music goals that mark the transitional phase into a narrative structure of music namely the programmatic genre. The second movement Moby dick is a casual exchange between the alto flute and the guitar that gives of a feeling of censorship and withdrawal from absolute engagement. Lastly is Cape cod, which has a lighter balance of tones with sparks of haste that insinuate urgency and brings the piece to a screeching halt.
Duo I (1992-93) by Ignacio Baca-Lobera And Verdigris (2006/18) on flute and guitar by Jocelyn Morlock succeeded toward the sea in that order. Jocelyn rewrote Verdigris from flute and harp to alto flute and guitar specifically for McGregor and Verdejo. This piece showcased the flute as the primary instrument and creates the imagery of subtle creatures coming to life post sunset. Both these songs were similar to the first item performed in terms of lack of structure and rhythm yet a creation of a story through the simple exchange of the two instruments.
Lastly Histoire du Tango (1986) by Astor Piazzolla was performed. This piece is largely influenced by the history of tango music of Buenos Aires Argentina as our most pieces by Piazolla. The narrative in this case showcased the inspiration by cataloging the history of tango through comprehensive structure and smooth melody. This was the first piece that I took a liking to as I could follow the rhythm and understand the music. This piece consisted of four movements, Bordel (1900), Cafe (1930), Nightclub (1960) and Concert d’aujourd’hui. The chronological sequence of events intertwined with personal information allowed the audience to connect to the piece and therefore the performers giving them insight into the artist’s life, which was a trademark of the search for self-identity in 19th century music practice.
The music was a mix of exploration of new techniques of musical composition as well as incorporation of popular 19th century styles. It left me bewildered in the beginning and as time went on it began to form an absolute image. I have never encountered this form of music before and it was therefore a highly educational experience that challenged my thoughts and forced me to think outside the box.