This recital of three new works written for the Milwaukee ensemble Present Music, founded in 1982 by Kevin Stalheim, who remains its conductor, is a decidedly mixed bag. At the weak end of the spectrum is
Randall Woolf's negligible Motor City Requiem, which features a tape montage of Motown snippets surrounded with jive-y, meandering noodling by the ensemble. Village Idiot by Russian-Australian composer
Elena Kats-Chernin is an immediately appealing work. The composer, whose son is schizophrenic, was inspired by artists with schizophrenia, and its title is an unsubtle jab at the lingering public perception of people with mental illness. As is often the case with her work, this piece is indebted to
Philip Glass, particularly the lush harmonies and mechanistic rhythms of "Beauty and the Beast." Even though it lacks blazing originality or strong individuality, it's attractive and deeply felt, with moments of astonishing beauty. The real find here is
Armando Luna's Graffiti, each of whose 11 brief movements pays homage to a different composer, including representatives from both the classical and pop worlds. While it may not be immediately evident simply by listing who exactly is being honored, a glance at the program notes is likely to inspire a slap on the forehead and an exclamation of "Well, of course!" In his witty and perceptive takes on composers as diverse as
Haydn,
Honegger,
Ginastera,
Schnittke,
Bartók,
Brubeck, and
Benny Goodman,
Luna grabs something of the essence of each and makes it his own. Its charm, exuberance, sophistication, and profligate inventiveness make it a piece that deserves to make the rounds of contemporary music ensembles everywhere. Innova's sound is clean, open, and natural.