June 26, 2012
by Seth Colter Walls

Historically, it’s been Cage’s “construction” pieces — written for augmented percussion ensembles that use (variously) slabs of metal and prepared pianos — that have been worst served on LP and CD. Recording this music takes real engineering skill, so one of the great gifts of the Cage centenary year is this marvelously produced effort by Third Coast Percussion.

“First Construction (in Metal)” has never sounded as good as it does here: the prepared piano throbs with real grit in its bass chords; the metal instruments struck are all distinguishable and present. It’s a monster — a piece to put on repeat, and one that will yield new discoveries with each listen.

Read the original article here.

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