Don Freund - Test of Time
Don Freund - Test of Time
The music becomes so kitschy so quickly, it is almost impossible to take Freund seriously.
Don Freund's 2009 large ensemble work, Test of Time, was performed again and recorded at the 2022 Mizzou International Composers Festival at the University of Missouri (watch the YouTube recording here). Performed by Alarm Will Sound with some additional personnel, the ensemble does a solid job navigating Freund's intense micromanagement of rhythm and tempo, very much thanks to stellar conductor Alan Pierson.
Opening with a sacred sounding tuba solo (played less than gracefully by a guest performer), Test of Time creates an atmosphere of exoneration, before Freund quickly smacks the listener across the face, adding a cheesy spring drum (thunder tube) and harp pedal buzz just to rub it in. One or twice and such an effect can be meaningful, but the entire fifteen minutes is filled with pathetic attempts at similar jump scares. Maybe Freund thinks his music isn't interesting enough, so he frequently checks in to make certain the audience's attention is still held hostage.
AWS's performance is convincing in terms of ensemble sound and catching Freund's abrupt tempo changes. It is unfortunately obvious the ensemble is supplemented with younger performers, as intonation issues in specific voices constantly stick out of the texture, which you cannot miss with the corny use of tonal harmony. Freund's music is expertly scored and effectively uses the entire timbral range of the chamber sinfonietta. However, it is important not to conflate refinedness with musical interest. The music becomes so kitschy so quickly, it is almost impossible to take Freund seriously.
On a side note, Freund is an excellent example of lengthy, overdramatic program notes which actually end up taking away from the music rather than adding to it. His two and a half paragraphs of nonsensical rhetorical questions and jargon-filled logorrhea make Test of Time feel an hour long prior to ever listening to the performance.
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