Morgan Evans-Weiler & J.P.A. Falzone — Penumbra

Penumbra serves up four slices of low-key, pared-back, and glumly fragile modern classic minimalism. Think Morton Feldman at his more drifting & fragilely fraught- you’ll get an idea of what is on offer here.

The album brings together two US composers/ players: Morgan Evans- Weiler violin & electronics, and J.P.A. Falzone, prepared piano & celesta. The release was recorded at the University of Buffalo, which of course, is another Feldman connection.

The four tracks featured have roman numeral titles, with runtimes between eight and thirteen minutes a piece.  And the tone/ feeling throughout is very sparse, slowed, and atmospheric. This is music to sink into/ lulling drift off into,

We go from the slurred-at-points hauntingly melodic piano keys, gentle simmering celesta, and slowly seared string bays of “II”. Onto the eerier pluck and ghostly string swoon, sparse darting keys, and general slow wavering disquiet of “III”.

The album plays out with the ten-and-a-half-minute “IV”, which moody creeps along, with its initial spaced key notation and a faint/ haunting string hover. That later shifts into a blend of spaced doomy clunks & uneasy swoon ‘n’ sear.

Penumbra is an engaging & atmospheric example of stark modern classic minimalism, and another great release from Sheffield’s Another Timbre-  the always worthy modern classic/ modern composition label.