The Black Page

Nieuw Amsterdams Peil is your guarantee for original performances of the highest caliber. This afternoon, the ensemble combines the work of four non-conformists, all pioneers forging their path at the untamed edges of classical music. The pieces are varied, ranging from Henry Cowell’s avant-garde proto-minimalism of 1914 to Julia Wolfe’s mesmerizing 2010 post-folk spectacle With a blue dress on. Works for string quartet and solo piano build towards a quintet rendition of Frank Zappa’s legendary barrage of notes The Black Page.

Henry Cowell was only 17 when he wrote his oldest surviving piano work: with its angular rhythms and obsessive repetitions, Anger Dance was astonishingly radical at the time. Cowell’s Aeolian Harp (1923) stands as a modern classic, requiring the pianist pluck the strings directly, like with a harp. Gavin Bryars, the sole Englishman amidst these Americans, established his reputation early on with a raw minimalism. His Second String Quartet (1990), however, surprisingly incorporates lyrical, even sweetly melodic, passages.

Outdoor concert
This Terrace Concert is an outdoor event. The sun can be intense and the wind can be quite strong near the water, so come prepared. In the event of unfavourable weather conditions, the performance will be held indoors in the Entrance Hall, which overlooks the river IJ.

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