Re: polymicrotonality in Russia

Following the whirlwind of performances in New York, I flew (the next day) to
Moscow to participate in the Alternativa Festival.

Directed by Dmitri Ukhov, the Alternativa Festival is an 8-day event
featuring 3 different artists per evening. Fellow Americans Mike Ellis
(microtonal Jazz style - almost never plays 12TET) and Daniel Goode
(composer/clarinetist formerly teaching at Rutgers), and I took top honors in
the reviews. Sorry, folks they're in Russian.

My program included "Varese Variation" for Theremin and Electric Bassoon
which I arranged from Varese material used previously on AFMM concerts
(Graphs and Time), joined by master thereminist Lydia Kavina. For a
bassoonist (even electric) it was a rollercoaster of playing. And the
heat...had trouble opening eyes due to the heat.

Other pieces presented (along with radio interviews and television cameos)
included Joseph Pehrson's eighthtone "One Small Step for Man," Giacinto
Scelsi's "Maknongan," John Cage's "0"0'," as well as my own compositions
("Dune," "Zanzibar," and "Eye of Newt"). Additionally, I was implored to
improvise.

A recital 2 days later in Kazan, capital of the Republic of Tartarstan, asked
for 2 imporvisations after the concert. Perhaps the freedom with which
Americans transverse the sonic spectrum is an especially delicious concept to
people that were not permitted to invite anyone to play during the Soviet
times.

Kazan is amazing...actually older than Moscow. 2 Television interviews (the
first harsh in its questions..."Why did you come...why not keep only 7
notes...Have you heard Tartar music yet and what do you think?." The second
interview came just as the rectial finished and they were imbued with the
enthusiasm of the audience, pronouncing polymicrtonal music as the near
future of music!

There were bassoon master classes to both cities' conservatories, a
presentation for the Composer Music Union in Moscow where I played recorded
music and showed scores (Raven, Dune, Cosmic Rays). On the final evening
(June 4th) I played at an east village-style club called "Oggis" for an
hour-long improvised presentation between myself, a French poet, a popular
local dancer, and saxophonist Ellis. Lots of corporealism here.

Great composers that regularly use microtones are Yuri Kasparov (who I've
commissioned for a new polymicrotonal bassoon solo) and Victor Eikomovsky
(who we will perform next year). Composer Anton Rovner (the same as from the
May 27th Micromay concert) was the gracious and caring guide that took me on
this unimagineable journey. As exciting as Micromay was, it was quickly
forgotten in the midst of the Russian excitement. People were kind and fair
and I look forward to a return visit.

Johnny Reinhard
AFMM
afmmjr@aol.com