Godfried Bomans dedicates a sketch in his 'Headpieces' to the 'gamelan connoisseur', who hides behind an affable smile his annoyance about the ignorance of the layman and subtly points out the diversity of the gamelan tradition. Contrary to Bomans' banter, Canadian composer Colin McPhee (1900-1964) was a real connoisseur. McPhee was a maverick, as evidenced by the fact that he preferred to complete
… his studies in New York with novice Edgar Varèse, rather than with fashionable Nadia Boulanger in Paris. McPhee met a Jane Belo in New York, whom he married (it turned out to be a disastrous marriage) and then went to Bali on a honeymoon. McPhee immediately became fascinated with the gamelan and would eventually write a standard work on this tradition: ' Music in Bali '. The first composition in which he incorporated his gamelan experiences was "Tabuh-Tabuhan" from 1936, for two pianos and orchestra. The piece is a vital and very successful mixture of gamelan and jazz influences and without doubt the most attractive work on this CD by the Esprit Orchestra under conductor Alex Pauk. The other works on this CD were created in the period 1954-1960, but they are also imbued with gamelan sounds, such as the "Symphony No. 2", the "Concert for wind instruments" and "Transitions". All in all a recommendable CD, especially because of the title work. (JvG) _ The piece is a vital and very successful mixture of gamelan and jazz influences and without doubt the most attractive work on this CD by the Esprit Orchestra under conductor Alex Pauk. The other works on this CD were created in the period 1954-1960, but they are also imbued with gamelan sounds, such as the "Symphony No. 2", the "Concert for wind instruments" and "Transitions". All in all a recommendable CD, especially because of the title work. (JvG) _ The piece is a vital and very successful mixture of gamelan and jazz influences and without doubt the most attractive work on this CD by the Esprit Orchestra under conductor Alex Pauk. The other works on this CD were created in the period 1954-1960, but they are also imbued with gamelan sounds, such as the "Symphony No. 2", the "Concert for wind instruments" and "Transitions". All in all a recommendable CD, especially because of the title work. (JvG) _ All in all a recommendable CD, especially because of the title work. (JvG) _ All in all a recommendable CD, especially because of the title work. (JvG) _more
