Classical, New Music
Cold Blue Music
Reviewed by Elizabeth Silsbury, August 1st, 2015
If the chairs and lounges in the airports of the world could be given voices, they may as well be these.
Whimsy is Stephen Whittington’s middle name. He has many passions, among which Eric Satie ranks high. Pièces Froides and Musique d’Ameublement are among his epigones for what he has said is ‘not to be listened to.’
He sees the departure lounge as ‘an arena for human emotions – boredom, apprehension, hope, despair, loneliness, the tenderness of farewells.’
Composer Stephen Whittington
How to approach this flight of fancy?
Turn it on, go and clean out the fridge?
Start sorting your library?
Give the dog a bath?
Make a risotto?
None of the above.
Zephyr Quartet
Defy the composer. Admire the intensity of the Zephyr Quartet’s playing, listen to inner voices pricking and sliding through the largely homogeneous (like milk, said Anna Russell) texture.
Pretend you are a comfy well padded fauteuil. Tick off the various emotions as listed, maybe more than one at a time.
Take it and your portable CD player with you next time you fly.
Think I might take up knitting again.