Ensemble Antipodes
City Hall Theatre
one night only
Contemporary 'serious' music has never been a crowd-puller, and the Ensemble Antipodes' concert on Wednesday was no exception. But for those present and willing to appreciate their art, the five string and three wind players presented expert renderings of challenging musical visions.
The concert featured the world premiere of Eternal Sun by Hong Kong-born Canadian Melissa Hui, whose sustained sound seemed to have metamorphosed from a slow movement from one of Beethoven's late string quartets.
Wang Xilin's Octet, Op 42, followed, featuring a taxing solo bassoon part. After the interval, Klaus Huber's Ein Hauch von Unzeit III ('A whiff of anachronism III') began with a single violin; other players chimed in from around the hall, enveloping the audience in soft and free counterpoint.