Music of Today: Free concerts at the Southbank Centre

[MDL]

I don't know if this has been posted elsewhere, but the Southbank Centre is presenting a series of seven free concerts at 6pm devoted to modern music. On Thursday 9th October, me and the other half went to a concert of music by Dutch composer Michel Van Der Aa. Just Before (2000) was a lively piece for piano and soundtrack; the processed sounds mimicked the scrapings and clunkings you'd get if you put a small dog inside a grand piano.

Mask (2006) for ensemble and soundtrack was fascinating, even if the instrumental writing seemed to be largely derived from Ligeti (Melodien and the first movement of the Cello Concerto in particular). And I did pity the percussionist who had to spend much of the piece ripping strips of gaffer tape off a table (to no great audible effect), while during the finale, he had to wrap a ticking metronome with layers of black cloth and bits of gaffer tape, gradually muffling the sound. Christ knows what all that was about, but I enjoyed it.

The hall could not have been more than about one fifth full. Talk about not being able to give tickets away!

The composer, who seemed like a personable young chap, was interviewed beforehand by Julian Anderson.

So, an enjoyable way to start an evening (and it happens to be on the way home from work for me).

There are six concerts to come, including:

November 30th: Gérard Grisey
March 12th: Oliver Knussen

Full listings on the Southbank website, of course.