(NB: That's not Mr. Carter in the photo, by the way ;-)
Some amazing sights and sounds a few weeks ago at the premiere of a new Elliot Carter piece: first, Elliot Carter himself showed up at the concert premiering his work along with two other contemporary composers, and offered up some background to the work entitled by its parts "Two Controversies and a Conversation." The work was a New York Philharmonic co-commission with Aldeburgh Festival and Radio France. And as the website of CONTACT! noted..."Two Controversies and a Conversation is more compact in scale and intent than Carter’s pioneering Double Concerto (1961) and takes a different approach to the relationship between the soloists and orchestra."
The second delight, the piece itself by Carter seemed to emerge delightfully out of his atonal Phoenix: a career based on a harsh panoply of sound, deconstructing any semblance of tonality, finally arising in his 104th year with an atonality that no longer bludgeoned the listener, but invited and warmed him/her. I was very happy to see this iconic composer in person, and hear him speak about the work, and his process. And I can now see/hear why so many commentators are saying "your work after 90 is your best!" Truly, he's polished it to a point that it is a suave and unpretentious compositional style, that isn't quite cliched (though, there is always that risk) as other atonal compositions. The problem with many contemporary works is that their style, structure, and context often buries them in a gutter of unrecognizable modern atonality, so that for many untrained ears (and some trained!), baroque music all sounds nauseatingly the same--but at least it is not abusive on the ear. Somehow, Carter has achieved something better, greater, and completely inviting, and we are happy for that, and for his continued contributions to contemporary classical music.
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