Spices & Perfumes & Toxins

Description

Works for percussion and orchestra can be timbral gimmickry from the workshops of compositional Avantgardists; or they are rhythmically inspired by the nature of the solo instrument. However, they can also be full of melody and feeling. This is true of Avner Dormans Spices, Perfumes, Toxins! a concerto for two percussionists and orchestra. Instead of hailing from a theoretical ivory tower, this work adheres to the basic form of the solo concerto. In spite of this, every note speaks the language of modernism while steering clear of typically engineered moments. References to the three substances in the title are certainly intended, making it possible to view the composition through the eyes of a programme musician yet it is still acceptable to see Spices, Perfumes, Toxins! as pure music, without need for explanation. Avner Dorman, born 1975 in Israel, is one of those contemporary composers who can write freely, unburdened by the forced experimentation of modern music. His works are technically brilliant, overflowing with tonal refinement.