Wednesday, 5/7/97 Guitar quartet to debut UCLA composer’s piece
Rock influences help shape Ian Krause’s ‘Cantiga Variations’
By Kathleen Rhames Daily Bruin Staff Composing an orchestral
music piece may be difficult, but hearing it performed in front of
an audience for the first time is even harder. At least that is
what UCLA faculty composer Ian Krause thinks. His new piece,
"Cantiga Variations" will make its world premiere tonight at
Schoenberg Hall. The renowned Minneapolis Guitar Quartet will
perform the piece, written for four guitars and an orchestra, which
promises to bring a fresh new sound to contemporary chamber music.
"It’s like giving birth," Krause says of the musical process. "What
has been inside you for so long is now released in the open and
it’s kind of scary until you get used to it. It’s a learning
experience. You get to hear a part of yourself. It’s fun to teach
the musicians because with any new music, there are stylistic
elements that they’ve never been exposed to before. It’s fun
teaching them how to bring those elements to life." Krause also
points out the more unusual elements of the composition. "There are
only two or three pieces written for this combination in
existence," Krause says. "As a composer, I’m a rare bird because my
instrument is the guitar. Most composers traditionally are pianists
or string players." Krause became involved with the Minneapolis
Guitar Quartet four years ago when it began performing his quartets
in concert. In 1995, the ensemble group asked him if he would write
a piece for four guitars and an orchestra, and a collaboration was
spawned between composer and performers that will culminate in
tonight’s world premiere. The Minneapolis Guitar Quartet will also
join the UCLA Chamber Orchestra, which will perform Mozart’s
overture to the "Marriage of Figaro" and Schubert’s Symphony No. 5
in B flat major directly before and after Krause’s piece. Having
the opportunity to work with a composer like Krause was one that
founding member of the quartet Alan Johnston couldn’t pass up. "Ian
is a wonderfully flamboyant composer with a great knowledge of the
guitar," Johnston says. "As a former guitarist, he really knows how
to bring out the best quality of sound in a guitar. It’s a thrill
to be involved in the creation of a new piece." "Cantiga
Variations" is a contemporary piece which combines the musical
styles of medieval chanting with the turbulent passion of flamenco.
Krause describes his piece as a "juxtaposition of violent,
blistering music with a calm, serene sound that dominates in the
end." There’s even a hint of folk rock, which reveals Krause’s own
particular taste and upbringing. Growing up to the rock and roll
music of the ’60s, Krause was an original Beatles fan and admits he
often times imagined he was John Lennon. But he also grew up in a
household where classical music was an integral part of daily life.
His mother was a professional pianist and organist and had
classical music playing around the clock. As a result, Krause
developed an ear for both forms of music and learned to combine the
two to make his own individual sound. He confesses, however, that
he still retreats to his rock ‘n’ roll roots. Just last year,
Krause recorded a piece with the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet that
was based on a Led Zeppelin song. His ability to combine the
traditional with the contemporary is evident in "Cantiga
Variations." Krause composes primarily in his head and rarely uses
the aid of a piano or other tonal instrument. He can only imagine
what his piece will sound like when the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet
performs it in the acoustic splendor of a theater. Krause’s
composition will be presented by one of North America’s leading
guitar ensembles. Founded in 1986, the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet
features the talents of Alan Johnston, Joseph Hagedorn, David
Crittenden and O. Nicholas Raths. Each a soloist in his own right,
these four men have formed an ensemble that has received national
acclaim for its commissioning and recording of new works for the
guitar. The group’s flair for guitar chamber music is exactly what
Krause had in mind when he wrote "Cantiga Variations." Hopefully
audiences will enjoy the piece just as much. "This is really a
chance to showcase where we’ve come and where we’re going," Krause
says. "I hope people are exhilarated and altered in a positive
way." CONCERT: The UCLA music department presents the UCLA Chamber
Orchestra and the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet featuring the world
premiere of Ian Krause’s "Cantiga Variations" at Schoenberg Hall
May 7 at 8 pm. Tickets are $7 adults and $3 for students. For more
information, call 825-2101. Previous Daily Bruin stories L.A.
Guitar Quartet arrives at UCLA, January 26, 1996