Studio Dan

Cultivating the fertile territory that exists midway between free intonation and notated textures, Vienna-based Studio Dan collective has assembled an engrossing program that appends original music to an interpretation of Anthony Braxton’s “Composition No. 107”. Playing the five-part Braxton work with the gravity it deserves, brass player Daniel Riegler, woodwind instrumentalist Clemens Salesny and pianist Michael Tiefenbacher accentuate the composition’s nuances. More importantly they perform without so-called serious music solemnity, although aleatoric determination also seems at a minimum. The three also play Riegler’s four-part musical addendum: “Körperstudie #1 zu Anthony Braxtons Composition Nr. 107”, while with “Körperstudie #2, Fassung für Quintett”, another multi-part Riegler piece, and the pianist’s two-part “Mr. Sierpinski” they’re joined by bassist Manu May and percussionist Raphael Meinhart.

Dealing with the final two, the inclusion of bass thumps and percussion raps and pings plus electric piano tinkles adds a swing variant to some narratives. Furthermore constant shifts from portamento to contrapuntal spontaneity allows the quintet to produce speedy resonations, plunger brass and reed flutters vamps and harmonized finales,

In trio form, interpretation of Braxton’s composition means constant motif rearrangements, as the three instruments move from layering timbres, note-bending variations and tempo diversity to individual expressions. Trombone deviations encompass brass ripples, plunger snarls and half-valve extensions; while reed affiliations include multi-tonguing, emphasized clarion breaths and harsh upward trills. Each decorates the other’s lines, while the sectional exposition builds up to unison harmonies showing tenacity as well as togetherness.

Occasional keyboard jangling on the former become more prominent on “Körperstudie #1 zu Anthony Braxtons Composition Nr. 107”. A reimagining rather than a repeat of “Composition No. 107”, Darkened rumbles of intermittent piano clips ascend to Jerry Lee Lewis-like pounding on the penultimate track, while horn undulations include half-valve brass textures and breathy reed whines. There are sequences where each player expresses passion or playfulness, alongside the others’ timbral interjections. With union and straight-ahead motifs sometime heard, syncopation is present along with what the idea which underlies the Braxton composition.

Neither improvisational fish nor notated fowl, Braxton et al. should appeal to those favoring one or the other or a sophisticated intermingling of both.

–Ken Waxman