Review

Ted Vives
Minim:
bassoon, trombone, and two pianos

Los Alamos, NM, United States
Publisher: Survives Music
Date of Publication: 2002
URL: http://www.survivesmusic.net

Primary Genre: Chamber Music

This work is given in one extended movement with a break for improvisation approximately three quarters of the way through. The bassoon has the bulk of the more technical material throughout the piece. At the beginning there is a sort of cadenza which features the second piano. After that point, the bassoon and trombone play a slow melody in octaves over a pair of active pianos. The pianos continue with their activity for several pages, whereupon the wind instruments return and play in a loose canonic pattern, again for several pages. The alternation of piano activity and canonic participation by the wind players continues until the pianos engage in a lengthy fadeout. This is where the improvisation occurs. From this point the winds are in unison and the music fades to the end.

Without a recording or any other way of hearing the work, an objective evaluation is difficult. The music looks interesting, especially for the pianists, who have a great deal of fast activity. There are a few concerns about notation, such as the use of half note triplets cross the bar line, but in general the music is clearly presented and is probably not too difficult for professional, experienced players to put together.

-Philip Brink
Mahidol University College of Music