John Luther Adams - "Darkness and Scattered Light" album review
John Luther Adams - Darkness and Scattered Light album review
Darkness and Scattered Light is an unmissable entry in the catalogue of John Luther Adams' music and classical music in general.
Darkness and Scattered Light is John Luther Adams' latest release through Cold Blue Music. Featuring the late double bass virtuoso Robert Black, Darkness and Scattered Light is a collection of world premiere recordings of Adams' music for the double bass. Longtime collaborators and friends, Adams' music and Black's dedication to the promotion of contemporary composers pair together perfectly. Black's total mastery and understanding of his instrument fosters a sense of pure, unencumbered musicality. Darkness and Scattered Light is an unmissable entry in the catalogue of John Luther Adams' music and classical music in general. The album is a fitting musical memorial to the genius of Robert Black, and while so tragic, we are all incredibly fortunate to have Darkness and Scattered Light as his final release.
Three High Places, which launches the album, was written by Adams in 2007 for solo violin and was later adapted for viola and cello. The Places rely solely on the production of natural harmonics and open strings, which match well with Adams' placid soundscapes. Black was the first bassist to create a version of the piece by retuning his instrument in open fifths, often performing the Places on recitals and during his 'First Fridays with Robert Black' virtual concert series. The built-in additional resonance of the double bass amplifies the emotional heaviness within Adams' music, and Black's immaculate control and balance of the natural harmonic partials create a completely new version of Three High Places, one which is both sensitive and raw.
The titular work, Darkness and Scattered Light, borders on seventeen minutes in length and is presented in a single movement. Composed in early 2023 for five double bassists, Black performed all five parts for this recording. Using combatting harmonic and subharmonic series, Darkness and Scattered Light is the resultant sound of five long, incredibly slow melodies all occurring simultaneously. As the darkness begins to clear, it becomes less and less possible to track each line as they blur together into a seamless harmonious smear, captivating the listener with its billowing stillness.
The final work on the album, Three Nocturnes, is a follow-up companion piece to the opening Three High Places. The Nocturnes are dedicated and originally composed for Robert Black, who initially premiered them at the 2022 MOAB Music Festival, whose slogan "music in concert with the landscape" is the epitome of Adams' compositional approach.
Each of the Three Nocturnes, present the bassist with extreme technical demands focused around a singular musical concept. The first, "Moonrise", traverses a series of challenging double and triple-stop harmonies drawn from the subharmonic series. Black balances these chord-like gestures clearly and with precise intonation. One can feel him, the music, and the universe all breathe together. The dark, rumbling sounds from the bass is smooth and beautiful, with Black presenting the most coherent version of Moonrise's single, lengthy thought. "Night Wind" contrasts the ringing arpeggios with gritty, rhythmic low passages. Adams noticeably uses the full range of the instrument in the Nocturnes, allowing the instrument to be successful and resonant in its natural state.
In the final of the three, "Moonset", a nostalgic haunting washes over the listener. Opening with extremely high harmonics, a reoccurring descending scalar motive is the basis of the movement. Adams has an uncanny ability to take a simplistic musical idea and create an entire work which is somehow wondrously stagnant. The tension in "Moonset" arises naturally as the moving melodic note in the double stop approaches the open string. Black lets the bass vibrate and almost shake the entire room as the notes get closer together, before finally succumbing to the relaxation of a unison.
listen to Darkness and Scattered Light on major streaming platforms or on BandCamp here
© 2023 Brutal New Music Reviews
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