The music of Kate Moore by the Herz Ensemble
Thursday evening 19 September Kate Moore and her Herz Ensemble presented their cycle: The Crow and Other Short Stories in Korzo Theatre, The Hague. An all Kate Moore compositions programme. Kate Moore told beforehand:"It's a story cycle. Each piece tells a different story. With the main charachter of the crow and it's mysterious song that the crow sings." She had a special request not to applaud until the end of the set. Only after the complete cycle of the stories.
F.l.t.r.: Laura Sandee, Jellantsje de Vries, Elisabeth Smalt
The concert started with a solo performance by Lies Beijerinck playing the wooden horn. Generating all kinds of crowlike sounds, gradually intensyfying the tempo and volume. Ultimately to slow down and return to pure crow sounds. This was a warming up for the second performance ever of 'The Crow'. A brand new piece written for organ and panpipes, which had it's world premiere five days earlier; September 14th at Orgelpark, Amsterdam. The organ provided a very dynamic rhythmic layer for the crow (pan-pipes) to sing it's song. A very fascinating combination of instruments! Also in the view of Kate herself. The full-bodied dark sound of the organ contrasting the light warbling panpipes sounds. This all with the assistance of singer Kaspar Kroner, who had an important and intensive job in turning the score pages for the organist. A very impressive performance by Matthijs Koene (panpipes) and Geert van de Wetering (organ). Music that makes you happy.
A solo piano piece followed. Laura Sandee performed Sliabh Beagh, a 2015 composition. Kate described the piece as follows:'The title means small mountain in Irish. Recalling a rolling hill in the ystic landscape. Dark and grey where the trickle from a holy well becomes the powerful undercurrent of a deep river. Endingin a fanatic and mischievous dance, the music turns dark, encapsulating the vicious underlying heartbeat of the land, not passive or gentle, but seething, vital, electric.' Indeed a piece with a serene beginning working dynamically towards a crescendo.
The final piece for the break was Bushranger Psychodrama. A story of a bushranger and folk hero, in Australian colonial history, rebelling against the British rulers. A commission by the Dutch new music Festival November Music, Den Bosch. On stage with predominantly green lighting the strings (and percussion) produce bush-like music. The Tenor Saxophone, played by Tom Sanderman, quitely laments the ranger. While also the organ joined in. Gradually the internsity and volume of the music rises. Working towards a climax, without the saxophone!
Lies Beijerinck, Kaspar Kroner
After the break Herz performed 101. A piece originally scored for piano, vibraphone, two saxophones, trombone and bass guitar. By Herz played with the following instrumentation: Piano, Organ, Violin, Viola, Cello, Soprano saxophone and vibraphone. A fresh new 101, but still the iconic Kate Moore composition which is so dear to me since 16 years now. It explores the expansion and gradual mutation of a three note melody G – Ab – G.
Followed by Ridgeway. Ridgeway was commissioned by The People's Commissioning Fund at Bang on a Can and recorded by Bang on a Can All-Stars.
For The Dam Kate received the prestigious Matthijs Vermeulen Price 2017. This was my third time I saw The Dam performed. First was at the Award ceremony by the same Herz Ensemble (instrumentation: Organ, Violin, Percussion, Pan-pipes, Electric Guitar, electric Bass Guitar, Bass Clarinet and Cello ). Then at November Music (11th) 2018 in Den Bosch by the famous British Icebreaker Ensemble (Instrumentation: Organ, Pan-pipes, Cello, Violin, Percussion, Electric Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar and Bass Clarinet/Clarinet. And at this 2019 concert with a major vocal part by counter-tenor Kaspar Kroner. The composition is based on animal outcries at a pool in the bush of Australia. A fantastic interpretation of this grand composition. And the finale of a sample card of brilliant compositions by the hand of Kate Moore.
Herz Ensemble
- The Herz Ensemble are:
- Jellantsje de Vries - Violin
- Elisabeth Smalt - Viola
- Lidy Blijdorp - Cello
- Lies Beijerinck - Didgeridoo / Wooden horn
- Mei-Yi Lee - Percussion
- Geerten van de Wetering - Organ
- Laura Sandee - Piano
- Kaspar Kroner - Counter Tenor
- Matthijs Koene - Pan-pipes
- Tom Sanderman - Saxophones
- Kate Moore - Ensemble leader
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