Argento’s 2018-19 concert season programming is made possible by the Reed Foundation, the Alice M. Ditson Fund for Contemporary American Music, the Fritz Reiner Fund, the Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation, and the generous support from James Berry, Eugenia Comini, Abner Greene, Gayle Haller and Richard Davies, Michael Klingbeil, Jeanne Linnes, Nari and Ben Matsuura, Peter Pohly, and Tony Stepanski. Public support is provided by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
Moving Sounds Festival: Opening Concert, "Fatal Cracks"
October 01, 2018
Opening Concert
Fatal Cracks
Music Mondays @ Advent Lutheran Church
Mahler’s last work, his unfinished 10th Symphony, was first conceived in 2 movements, concluding with a hybrid Scherzo - Finale: Argento performs Michel Galante’s completion of the Symphony’s original 2-movement form, reduced to an ensemble of 15 players. Composer Taylor Brook’s Arrhythmia asks, “what if Mahler wrote his 9th Symphony today?” Acclaimed Austrian soloist Virgil Hartinger sings the 1st movement of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde to introduce a work it directly inspired: Rome Prize winning composer Jesse Jones’ Threshold, for tenor and ensemble, which is set to Rabindranath Tagore texts that explore “concepts of mortality and transcendence over death outside Western traditions." Argento gives a preview performance of Patricia Alessandrini’s work-in-progress Alma, which takes Alma Mahler’s youthful compositions and re-interprets them in contemporary terms. Alessandrini’s work is paired with three original songs by Alma Mahler.
Reception and discussion with artists to follow the concert.
PROGRAM
Gustav Mahler/M. Galante – “Trinklied” from Das Lied von der Erde (1908; 2018) for tenor and ensemble
Virgil Hartinger, tenor
Taylor Brook – Arrhythmia [expanded version] (2012; 2017) for string ensemble and percussion
Jesse Jones – Threshold (2012) for tenor and ensemble
~Intermission~
Alma Mahler – Drei Lieder (1899) for soprano and piano
Sharon Harms, soprano
Patricia Alessandrini – Alma (2018) [preview performance] for soprano and ensemble
Gustav Mahler/M. Galante – Symphony 10: Adagio and Scherzo/Finale (1910; 2018) for ensemble
Moving Sounds Festival: Emerging Austrians
October 02, 2018
Tuesday, October 2, 8pm
Emerging Austrians
Austrian Cultural Forum
Mahler, along with his young compatriot Arnold Schoenberg, was certainly one of the dominant compositional voices in fin-de-siecle Vienna, but who are the emerging Austrian composers of today?
The concert on October 2nd at 8pm features Austrian composers Manuela Meier, Elisabeth Harnik and Bernd Klug, who will be performing with his American creative partner Meaghan Burke.
Elisabeth Harnik’s Kugelstein II was performed at the London Austrian Cultural Forum’s Mahler Festival in 2010. Harnik wrote “in Kugelstein II the questions ‘Who am I?’ and ‘Where am I?’ are essential in this work, as the protagonist is whisked away from everyday life through a car accident to an unreal space and time zone.”
Manuela Meier’s hyper-detailed aesthetic comes largely from her extensive experience as an accordionist. Her duet for two trombones, What you see, is it, creates a virtual orchestra with its interplay of percussive sounds, attacks, overtones, singing, and virtuosic brass techniques.
Bassist/composer Bernd Klug and cellist/composer Meaghan Burke, equal partners in their creative performing/composing duet, co-compose a work that explores the marriage of Alma and Gustav Mahler, both of their compositional aspirations, and the various competing interests from which they both suffered.
Featured soloists include Sharon Harms, soprano, and Carol McGonnell, clarinet.
PROGRAM
Elisabeth Harnik – Kugelstein II (2006) for voice and bass clarinet (text by Olga Flor)
Bernd Klug and Meaghan Burke – New Work (2018) for cello and double bass
Manuela Meier – What you see, is it (2016) for two trombones
Moving Sounds Festival: The Mahler Discussions
October 03, 2018
Wednesday, October 3, 7pm
The Mahler Discussions
North of History Gallery
Audiences are invited to participate in a panel discussion on Gustav Mahler and his influence on contemporary music and culture. As Mahler is one of Austria’s cultural treasures, the Austrian Cultural Forum New York hosts the event.
Two important scholars join the Moving Sounds Festival’s composers and performers to create a rich discussion: Columbia University lecturer Marilyn McCoy, author of “Gustav Mahler’s Path to the New Music: Musical Time and Modernism,” and Thomas Schäfer, the director of the Darmstadt Festival for Contemporary Music and author of “Modellfall Mahler : kompositorische Rezeption in zeitgenössischer Musik”, (translation: The model case of Mahler: Mahler: compositional reception in contemporary music). These scholars join festival participating composers Elisabeth Harnik, Patricia Alessandrini, Oliver Schneller, Taylor Brook, Meaghan Burke and Bernd Klug.
Reception to follow.
Moving Sounds Festival: Mahler & Space
October 04, 2018
Thursday, October 4, 1pm & 7:30pm
Mahler & Space
Saint Peter's Church, NYC
About Oliver Schneller’s Clair/Obscur for ensemble and electronics, the composer writes, “The edges of the painted shapes become soft, often uncertain and elusive.” Schneller cites the influence of Mahler’s Ninth Symphony’s conclusion, which stretches its lines “to a point of near extinction.”
Gerhard Krammer takes poems from Mahler’s favorite writer, ultra-romantic poet Friedrich Rückert, and sets them in a “Lieder” format for soprano and piano in his Rückert Lieder, with soprano Sharon Harms performing. Argento includes selections from Mahler’s own Rückert Lieder, written 110 years earlier than Krammer’s piece with the same name.
Pianist/Improvisor/Composer Elisabeth Harnik was first asked to perform a Mahler-inspired work of her own at the London’s Austrian Cultural Forum 2011 Mahler festival where she focused on spatial listening in Mahler´s work. In the Moving Sounds Festival 2018, she will perform a new work with audience participation refering to Mahler’s improvisational skills and thus, his strong ability to integrate his life and listening experiences into his music. Her Moving Sounds appearance comes in the wake of the release of two critically acclaimed CDs of improvisations, “Ways of My Hands_Music for piano” and “Tender Music,” which she recorded with renowned bassist Joëlle Léandre.
PROGRAM (1PM CONCERT)
Oliver Schneller – Clair/Obscur (2005-2006) for ensemble and 6-channel surround-sound electronics
Gustav Mahler – selections from Rückert Lieder (22 minutes) for voice and piano
Sharon Harms, soprano
Gerhard Krammer – selections from Rückert Lieder (14 minutes) for voice and piano
PROGRAM (7:30PM CONCERT)
Oliver Schneller – Clair/Obscur (2005-2006) for ensemble and 6-channel surround-sound electronics
Gerhard Krammer – selections from Rückert Lieder for voice and piano
~intermission~
Elisabeth Harnik – inspiring the inspired for one improvising performer and audience participation (2018) WORLD PREMIERE
Elisabeth Harnik, piano
In Recital: Carol McGonnell & Isabel Gleicher
November 01, 2018
Thursday, November 1, 7:30pm
In Recital: Carol McGonnell & Isabel Gleicher
Saint Peter's Church, NYC
Argento's principle clarinetist Carol McGonnell joins flutist Isabel Gleicher for a diverse evening of virtuosic solo contemporary works that explore a multitude of sonic possibilities inherent within each instrument, featuring world premieres by French composer Fabien Lévy and Isabel Gleicher. This theatrical duo recital was co-conceived by the performers (hailed by the New York Times as an “extraordinary clarinetist” and “excellent” flutist), carefully staged and coordinated with spoken excerpts of poetry to create a dramatic “recital” in the true sense of the word, including poetry from works by Warsan Shire, Adrienne Rich, and Wendy Cope.
Hailed as "an extraordinary clarinetist" by the New York Times, "elastic, exacting, stupendous” by the LA Times and "clarinet genius" by Time Out NY, Dublin-born clarinetist Carol McGonnell is known for the expressive power of her playing of standard repertoire while also enjoying acclaim for her fearless exploration of cutting-edge developments in new music. Carol is a founding member of the Argento Chamber Ensemble. She has been involved in the commissioning of over 100 new works, ranging from solo pieces to clarinet concerti. Carol has appeared in the inaugural concert of Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall and in Lincoln Center's Great Performers Series, has performed as soloist in both John Adam's "In Your Ear Festival" at Carnegie and in LA's "Monday Evening Concerts", curated by Esa-Pekka Salonen and with numerous orchestras around the world and ensembles including Ensemble Modern, St. Paul's Chamber Orchestra, and the Zankel Band of Carnegie Hall, among others.
Flutist Isabel Lepanto Gleicher is a soloist, chamber musician and educator. Enjoying an international career, Isabel has performed throughout Europe, China, Japan, Canada and the United States. The New York Times has called her “excellent” and John Zorn writes, “Isabel’s display of virtuosity and her beautiful attitude and stunning musicality inspired me.”
Isabel is a member of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), new music sinfonietta Ensemble Echappé and the Annapolis Chamber Music Festival. She is a founding member of SoundMind ensemble and Duo Helix. Isabel performs regularly with ensembles such as Talea Ensemble, the Argento New Music Project, Contemporaneous, Friends of MATA Ensemble and Ensemble X at Cornell University. As part of these and other groups, Isabel has had the opportunity to premiere works by Missy Mazzoli, John Zorn, Beat Furrer, Jonathan Dawe and many others. She has also performed at festivals such as Mostly Mozart, Opera Omaha’s One Festival, MATA, Resonant Bodies, Five College New Music Festival, New Haven Arts and Ideas, Lake George Summer Music Festival and the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. Isabel has appeared on the Guggenheim Works and Process Series, Music of the Americas Society Composer Portrait Series, Park Avenue Armory Martin Creed The Back Door exhibit, the Clark Institute of Art Celebration of Helen Frankenthaler and the Lex54 Concert Series.
As a soloist, Isabel has collaborated with So Percussion on a performance of Lou Harrison’s Flute Concerto at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC and will be featured in a solo recital on Miller Theatre’s Pop Up series. Isabel won first prize at the Myrna Brown Young Artist Competition at the Texas Flute Festival. Previously, Isabel won second prize at both the South Carolina and Kentucky Flute Festival Young Artist Competitions.
For more information about Carol McGonnell, visit carolmcgonnell.com.
To hear recordings of Isabel Gleischer, visit soundcloud.com/isabel-lepanto-gleicher.
PROGRAM
Elliott Carter (USA) – Gra (1993) for solo Bb clarinet
Andile Khumalo (South Africa) – Tracing Hollow Traces for solo Bb clarinet
Allain Gaussin (France) – La Chevelure de Bérénice for solo Bb clarinet (1990)
Fabien Levy (France) – pour Helge WORLD PREMIERE
Isabel Gleicher (USA) – O rubor sanguis WORLD PREMIERE
David Lang (USA) – thorn for solo flute
Toshio Hosokawa (Japan) – Atem-Lied for solo bass flute
Cecilia Arditto (Argentina) – Música invisible for bass flute and ventilating fan
The Voices of Erin Gee
February 08, 2019
Friday, February 8, 8pm
The Voices of Erin Gee
Roulette Intermedium, Brooklyn
Cited by Alex Ross as among the most influential composer-vocalists of the 21st century, Erin Gee is quickly emerging as a singular compositional voice of her generation, particularly with her Mouthpiece series consisting of intricate and detailed works for voice and ensemble.
Argento presents Gee's vocal works spanning from 2000 to 2016 (including the world premiere of Mouthpiece 33), performed by the composer herself alongside the stellar musicians of Argento's ensemble, creating an opportunity for audiences to engage with her fascinating sonic tapestry and witness the evolution of an essential voice within the current landscape of experimental concert music.
PROGRAM (All works by Erin Gee)
Yamaguchi Mouthpieces 1, 2, & 3 (2005) for solo voice
Mouthpiece: Segment of the 4th Letter (2007) for bass flute, clarinet, percussion, viola, and cello
** Mouthpiece 29 (2016) for voice, violin, viola, and double bass
-intermission-
Mouthpiece 1 (2000) for solo voice
Mouthpiece 2 (2002) for solo voice
* Mouthpiece 33 (2015) for bass flute, bass clarinet, and electric guitar
Mouthpiece 4 (2004) for solo voice
Akiguchi Mouthpiece (2005) for solo voice
Mouthpiece: Segment of the 3rd Letter (2007) for amplified voice, bass flute, percussion, viola, and double bass
* World Premiere
** NYC Premiere
Sound Connections: Performers As Composers
March 10, 2019
Sunday, March 10, 8pm
Sounds Connections: Performers As Composers
Scholes Street Studio, Brooklyn
Four ensemble members of Argento–Stephanie Griffin, viola; Karl Kramer, horn; William Lang, trombone; Cory Bracken, percussion–perform works of solo repertoire alongside original compositions for their respective instruments, exploring the performative relationship of their own compositional voices to that of other composers. The program includes works by Arthur Kampela, Timothy McCormack, Eric Lyon, and Salvatore Sciarrino, including works by each performer.
Argento in New Orleans
April 24, 2019
Wednesday, April 24, 7:30pm
Argento in New Orleans
Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans
Argento presents Gérard Grisey's epic spectral masterpiece Vortex as part of our residency at University of New Orleans.
PROGRAM
Gérard Grisey – Vortex Temporum (1994-1996) for piano and five instruments – Marilyn Nonken, piano
Thursday, April 25, 7pm
University of New Orleans Residency
Performing Arts Center Recital Hall at the University of New Orleans.
And the following evening April 25 at 8pm, Argento will perform new works by student composers from the University of New Orleans composition studio at the Performing Arts Center Recital Hall at the University of New Orleans.
PROGRAM
Cory Diane - New Ways (2019) for voice and chamber ensemble
Ana Zaveriuha - Moonlight Over Town (2019) for flute, bass clarinet, viola, cello
Dylan Hunter - Breathing Together (2019) for flute, clarinet, viola, cello
Kenneth Collins - The Lost Shall Not Be Forgotten (2019) for flute, bass clarinet, viola, cello
Dan Schultz - Currents (2019) for chamber ensemble
Michel Galante - Flicker for clarinet and piano
Alban Berg arr. Michel Galante - Adagio from Chamber Concerto (1925/2019) for chamber ensemble
Vortex Temporum in NYC
April 29, 2019
Monday, April 29, 1pm & 7:30pm
Vortex Temporum in NYC
Saint Peter's Church, NYC
Argento follows up their New Orleans residency with a performance of Vortex Temporum at Saint Peter's Church in Manhattan along with an arrangement of the Adagio from Alban Berg's Kammerkonzert by Argento's artistic director Michel Galante. Marilyn Nonken performs works for solo piano, written for the same scordatura tuning as Vortex Temporum, by Richard Carrick, Christopher Trapani and Nina C. Young.
PROGRAM
7:30PM
Alban Berg – Adagio from Kammerkonzert (arranged for quintet by Michel Galante) – Doori Na, violin // Marilyn Nonken, piano
Richard Carrick - Les ciels de Kigali - Marilyn Nonken, piano
Christopher Trapani - Lost Time Triptych - Marilyn Nonken, piano
Nina C. Young - À bout de souffle - Marilyn Nonken, piano
Intermission
Gérard Grisey – Vortex Temporum (1994-1996) for piano and five instruments – Marilyn Nonken, piano
1PM Lunchtime Concert
Gérard Grisey – Vortex Temporum (1994-1996) for piano and five instruments – Marilyn Nonken, piano