A Review of a Concert of Experimental Music from England

Charles Amirkhanian reviews a concert by the San Francisco Conservatory New Music Ensemble of avant-garde or experimental music, by mostly young English composers, which was held on March 21, 1974 and was to be repeated the next day. Excerpts of works heard include an arrangement of an early 20th century waltz, a song based on a Chinese melody by Cornelius Cardew, and a rondo by Christopher Hobbs. Also heard are segments of two pieces by Gavin Bryars, one inspired by the story of the Titanic, and another by a film of a London tramp singing an old hymn. Both of Bryars’ pieces, which he introduced himself, were accompanied by visual projections of pictures or films and have a beautiful yet haunting quality to them. Much of this work is based on re-workings of Victorian waltz melodies and sentimental salon pieces. Most of the pieces are consonant, some even very emotional.