Colin Currie, Colin Currie Group, Synergy Vocals – Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:04:03 minutes | 1,14 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Colin Currie Records
Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians, completed in 1976, is well represented on recordings, including in two versions by Reich himself. Yet there is always room for as fine a performance as this. An examination of a random page in the score for the Music for 18 Musicians might give the impression that it is technically unchallenging, but this is emphatically not true. Percussionist Colin Currie, who leads his Colin Currie Group on this self-released album, has a fortunate metaphor for the work: it is, in his words, “the perfect musical beehive,” and the awesomely complex interactions between its parts are the responsibility of the players. Another way to look at the work is that, despite its large ensemble, it is chamber music, and it demands the rare ability to interact as a string quartet might. The group here delivers impressive results in music that manages to remain lively even as it is precise and transparent; Reich’s chord inversions are clearly audible as they develop and as singers are added to the mix in the persons of the four members of Synergy Vocals (who have worked with Reich before), they are magical. Engineering hounds whom one might quiz about the recording location might fail to identify the Abbey Road Studios in London, but this turns out to be an ideal venue. Those who haven’t heard Reich’s masterpiece for a while are encouraged to check this new version out. – James Manheim
Read more
Colin Currie, Truls Mørk, Helsenki Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgårds – Rautavaara: Modificata, Towards the Horizon & Incantations (2012/2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 01:02:22 minutes | 1,06 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © 2xHD – Ondine
This new recording couples Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara’s latest concerto works with an orchestral piece from his early Modernist period (Modificata; 1957/2003). The virtuoso Percussion Concerto Incantations (2008) features the Scottish percussion soloist Colin Currie, who is the dedicatee and première performer of this work. Currie wrote himself the virtuoso cadenza to the final movement. Rautavaara’s Second Cello Concerto Towards the Horizon (2009) was written for cellist Truls Mørk and plays continuously in one 20-minute movement. Reviewing the premiere the Star Tribune noted that the composer “acknowledges a ‘taste for eternity’ and a vain of mysticsm runs through his work.” Einojuhani Rautavaara is recognized as one of the most notable Finnish composers after Jean Sibelius. His recordings on Ondine have been bestsellers and garnered numerous awards (including a recent GRAMMY nomination for his opera Kaivos). Under their chief conductor John Storgårds, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra builds on long-time pedigrees of performing their compatriot’s music.
Read more
Colin Currie, Truls Mork, Helsenki Philharmonic Orchestra & John Storgards – Rautavaara: Modificata – Incantations – Towards the Horizon (2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 01:02:22 minutes | 2,09 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © 2xHD – Ondine
This Grammy-nominated recording of world premieres comes with a long list of critical accolades and awards from around the world. The programme by the Helsinki Philarmonic Orchestra under John Storgårds couples Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara’s most recent concerto works with an orchestral piece from his early Modernist period, Modificata. Rautavaara’s cello concerto Towards the Horizon was written for cellist Truls Mørk and is performed continuously in one 20-minute movement.
Read more
Colin Currie, BBC Philharmonic & Juanjo Mena – HK Gruber: Percussion Concertos (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 52:41 minutes | 490 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Colin Currie Records
Colin Currie’s first concerto album on his own label is a pairing of works by the innovative Viennese composer, conductor and chansonnier HK Gruber.
Read more
Colin Currie, Steve Reich, Colin Currie Group and Synergy Vocals – Colin Currie & Steve Reich Live at Fondation Louis Vuitton (2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 01:04:23 minutes | 653 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Colin Currie Records
The third album on Colin Currie’s label celebrates the percussionist’s artistic relationship with the American cultural icon Steve Reich. Programmed and performed at the composer’s request and under his supervision, this album is essential for any Reich fan, capturing a group of truly world-class performers at the peak of their powers. For this recording, Colin conducts and performs with the Colin Currie Group and their long-standing collaborators Synergy Vocals. Steve Reich himself joined Colin on stage to perform Clapping Music.
Read more
Colin Currie & Håkan Hardenberger – The Scene Of The Crime (2018)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:08:07 minutes | 1,01 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Colin Currie Records
The duo with Hakan Hårdenberger is my musical safe space for maximum risk-taking. From my earliest point of connection with this most regal of musicians, what entranced me was the fearless audacity of the endeavour. Envelopes pushed, or simply reinvented, boundaries moved and canvasses recast. Rehearsals are intense; not many words spoken, a glance here or there, a certain type of breath taken, whilst the concerts are zones of feverish intensity, many-coloured and highly emotional. Too many now to pick out – San Fransisco, Seoul, Verbier, London, the Hanover concert with three World Premieres – I want to thank him for his encouragement, daring, humour and above all, friendship.” – Colin Currie
Read more