Terry Jennings' String Quartet was just performed as part of the Minimalist Jukebox festival at Disney Hall in Los Angeles...
Mark Swed: As much an exploration of low volume as the Orb is of high, the quartet contains little more than a handful of chords or pitches that last a long time and are played at dynamic levels within the pianissimo and pianissississimo range. If you've spent too much time around electronica concerts, you've likely lost the hearing needed to perceive this music.
Johnny Chang (one of the performers): The concert last night went off. Well not entirely - the first piece, String Quartet of Terry Jennings, was even more difficult for the audience than it was for us. [coughing. snickering. cell phone at the 28'50" mark]
Zach Behrens: The "drone-inspired, modal, repetitive," extremely quiet and delicate work gave room for a chorus of antiphonal coughs, throat clearing and shuffling feet. These small, but constant sounds foreign to the piece, made it even more beautiful in that sort of "you are a noise nerd" way.
In addition to audience noise, the concert included Riley's In C. The reviews imply a future for contemporary music as well as a future audience for the LA Philharmonic.
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