Sid
Smith s review of Andrew Keeling's CD "Reclaiming
Eros"
Love
Actually...
Probably
best known to KC fans for his work on orchestrating
Robert Fripp soundscapes and two CD Rom guides
(LTIA and ITWOP), Andrew Keeling is an accomplished
composer in his own right and something of
a hidden treasure.
At
a time when contemporary classical music seems
either hell-bent on doing you good like a
castor oil cure or soothing the soul to the
point of being musical Mogadon, Keeling resolutely
walks his own path independent from clique
or trend.
His
last album, Quickening The Dead (2000 Riverrun
Records) showcased his talent for bringing
together eclectic source material (Nick Drake,
Jung, William Blake, Sylvia Plath) with sprightly,
discursive chamber pieces.
What
was interesting about Keeling’s work
was the way he managed to combine a kind of
experimental rigour with something more akin
to old-school romantic traditions. With Keeling
you get the best of both worlds; music that
is conceptually sound but the antitheses of
dry academia, music that is direct, full-blooded
and passionate.
Keeling’s
love affair with melody continues unabated
on his new release, Reclaiming Eros. The radiant
fanfare of the title track is infused with
a dazzling light that continually plays over
the myriad of surfaces touched upon by the
Stor Quartet during this cornerstone piece.
Like a heated debate between friends gathered
around a table, the violin, viola, cello and
piano constantly reference and reinterpret
the other’s commentary.
Although
the first ten minutes of the piece has many
contrary arguments and motifs all moving at
a galloping pace, Keeling brilliantly keeps
track of it all presenting the varying tensions
coherently and persuasively.
All
dissenting voices evaporate during the languorous
coda – arguably the most moving and emotional
of moments on the album.
It
gives way imperceptibly to Scarlet Letters,
a piece for classical guitar played by Abigail
James. Here is a monologue full of wit and
wry invention; sweet and sour passages which
build and cascade in dextrous complexity.
Once again, Keeling never lets technique triumph
over the melodic character of the music and
like the preceding track powers down to a
reflective finale that has one rapt to its
the very last note.
So
engrossing is Scarlet Letters’ musing
the vocal piece which follows, Powered By
Joy performed by the Gothic Voices ensemble,
is akin to being doused in cold water such
is the unexpected volume of its arrival .
Such a shock to the system certainly refocuses
attention but risks dispelling the atmosphere
of intimate warmth which James had painstakingly
established. The transition from the sublime
Gefunden (performed by Yukimi Kambe Viol Consort),with
its rich oozing melodies and luscious soft-focus
textures to Suele, for mezzo-soprano Catherine
King aside, avoids any shock tactics enabling
the listener to more carefully assimilate
the change of pace and direction.
Whatever
the notions and theories which underpin the
music on this release, the acid test of their
value is their accessibility and capacity
to excite, engage and touch the heart of the
listener. With Reclaiming Eros Keeling does
the job on all counts.
