This week on the ASCAP Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award winning program Between the Keys, The CLassical Network's Artist-in-Residence Jed Distler offers a rarely heard yet seminal masterpiece in the Minimalist genre: John McGuire's 48 Variations for Two Pianos.
The work is constructed on a series of patterns, building up the rhythm over time in a multi-layered structure, which the composer likens to slowly gliding melodic waves of different length, superimposed upon one another, with noticeable rhythmic shifting and progressing through different tonal centers. It plays for 56 continuous minutes, without interruption.
"I've been wanting to present '48' for some time now," says Distler. If you are patient, and you surrender to this hypnotic, utterly gripping music, you will not regret the experience. Trust me on this one!"
48 Variations was commissioned by pianist Herbert Henck, who recorded it with pianist Deborah Richards for the now defunct Largo label, and it is this recording that will be featured this hour, exclusive on The Classical Network and WWFM.org.
