John Cage/ Apartment House — Chamber Works…1943- 1951

Chamber Works…1943- 1951 is a collection of pieces highlighting both the creativity and variation of John Cage's earlier work. It finds members of the highly regarded modern ensemble Apartment House playing the works, with such great flair, depth and clarity.

This CD release appears on the always consistent Another Timbre Records. The disc comes presented in the labels' house style mini/ minimal white gatefold packaging, with fitting/ rather mysterious artwork by Apartment House’s Anton Lukoszevieze-taking a slightly blue washed canvas, with at its top a selection of black pipe-like shapes, and at its bottom a thin/ uneven line. The release can be found here, where you can play samples/ get more details.

In total, the CD takes seven works, three of which are multi-part pieces, with runtimes between three and nineteen minutes.  As I mentioned in my introduction, there is real variation here, from piece to piece, and even within pieces. In the first half of the album, we move the sparsely cascading up & down piano notation of “In Landscapes”. Onto the taut, jauntily rhythmic, yet dartingly unpredictable prepared piano and percussion of “Amoreos”.

In the release's second half, we move from “String Quartet In Four Parts”- which moves, often fairly jarringly, between buoyant jigs, angular swoons, soothing simmers, and shrill seesawing. Onto the hazed, gliding, and lightly rising piano and cello work of “Dream”- which is perfectly entitled, as one truly feels as if you're in a soothing, if slightly morose, dream state as it plays.

Chamber Works…1943- 1951 is easily one of this year's truly great modern classical releases. Firstly, there’s the rewarding variation of the works featured, next there’s the quality of the compositions, and lastly there’s the wonderful skill/ clarity of the players.  This will, of course, appeal to both longtime Cage and Apartment House listeners. But equally, I can see it as a great introduction to the work of John Cage and modern classical music in general. Easily a straight 5 out of 5 release!