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Excerpts from reviews of the following works: North Wind for dizi (Chinese bamboo flute) and orchestra (2005) The Sun and the Moon for flute and cello (1999) Curator: GroundSwell concert / The Hilliard Ensemble, 9 March 2005) Concerto for cello and string orchestra
(2003) NORTH
WIND for dizi (Chinese bamboo flute) and orchestra (2005) The evening's highlight was Chinese flute player Xiao-Nan Wang in Jim Hiscott's NORTH WIND. Winnipegger Hiscott wrote this piece especially for Xiao-Nan and it is a heterogeneous mix of Eastern and Western influences. Hiscott explained the work as a metaphor for a big, perhaps traumatic event happening to a person and of their struggle to rise above it and look to the future. This was well-represented in the music, which featured highly contrasting parts-- the orchestra often raucous, symbolizing the trauma and challenges, while the flute played the protagonist, a survivor with a beautfiul spirit. Xiao-Nan employed a strong throat vibrato and demostrated a wide range. A charismatic performer, his solos had an improvisatory and hypnotic appeal. (Excerpt of review — Gwenda Nemerofsky, Winnipeg Free Press) THE
SUN AND THE MOON for flute and cello (1999) Hiscott premiered his THE SUN AND THE MOON for flute and cello, a commission by Rolston. Who would have thought that a cello could play an old-time Irish reel? Obviously Hiscott believed it possible and it worked beautifully. Rolston and Hoeppner found and communicated the spirit of this work well. Although demanding for both players, one would hardly suspect it. Hoeppner jumped octaves as easily as if they were seconds, and danced through a bird-like flute section with well-centred tone. Each player took a turn on the dance floor in the movement called Veils and the duo played with razor-sharp precision. This is good, solid writing for each instrument. (Excerpt of review — Gwenda Nemerofsky, Winnipeg Free Press) THE
HILLIARD ENSEMBLE / GROUNDSWELL (2005) GroundSwell board member Michel Lagace' put it just right in his preamble to Wednesday night's concert featuring the Hilliard Ensemble. They truly are the "Fabulous Four." One of the world's finest vocal ensembles, this group from England is comprised of David James, countertenor, Rogers Covey-Crump and Steven Harrold, tenors and Gordon Jones, baritone. The Hilliards' stop in Winnipeg is part of a ten-day North American tour, in a year that will see them performing in over 100 concerts. The evening's program was a mix of contemporary music, most of it Canadian and a few works by composers of the Middle Ages. An eclectic combination to be sure, but something Winnipeggers have come to expect from and love about the GroundSwell series. Curator Jim Hiscott blended the disparate eras masterfully, providing just enough of each to provide a well-rounded program. ... Hiscott included one of his own works in the program, You Should not Mourn based on text from The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius and the Bhagavad Gita. It featured great variety in the parts, providing a good vehicle in which each singer could shine. The ensemble executed the deft interweaving of parts with ease. Both tenors were excellent, singing with great conviction and emotion while maintaining a pure sweetness of tone. (Excerpts of review — Gwenda Nemerofsky, Winnipeg Free Press) CONCERTO
FOR CELLO AND STRING ORCHESTRA (2003) "...as the work unfolded one appreciated the rhapsodic and very well set out solo, with its echoes of Benjamin Britten-like declamation and telling dialog with the multi modal strings." — James Manishen, Winnipeg Free Press, Oct. 9/03 WORLD DANCES
for violin, piano and button accordion (2002) "Jim Hiscott's WORLD DANCES was the surprise of the night...The piece is a suite made up of five dances from around the world...Hiscott's clever writing kept the instruments blending with sensitivity while still speaking through the texture. A rollicking Munera led to a rhythmically fascinating Macedonia...The Northern Polka achieved an easy balance between the familiarity of the polka form and a tight call/answer echo effect that really worked. The final Merengue resulted in a long ovation from the crowd...WORLD DANCES is a good example of new music that really works." — Andrew Thompson, Winnipeg Free Press, Nov. 18/02. TREE OF
LIFE (Balinese gender wayang quartet) (2002) "...chords that hung in the air like iridescent clouds." — Alexander Varty, The Georgia Straight, Vancouver TROPICS
for orchestra (2001) "a...menu of Caribbean folkloric items set with skill and most appealing..." James Manishen, Winnipeg Free Press, Jan. 31/04 PILGRIMAGE
for orchestra (2000) "Jim Hiscott's Pilgrimage for Orchestra brimmed with the spaciousness of the Canadian Prairie" — D.T. Baker, Edmonton Journal, Feb. 7/01 SWIRL (cello)
(2000) "The music...covers a rich vein of moods and is beautifully explored by Paul Marleyn's performance." — James Manishen, Winnipeg Free Press THE RESTLESS
WIND for chamber orchestra (1999) "James Hiscott’s The Restless Wind, the opening
selection at a recent concert by the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra,
is an instantly haunting composition. Its many integrated orchestral
effects blend into a subtly pulsating wholeness that seems to fluctuate
between darkness and light. I especially respond to the first and second
violins trading urgent and shimmering threads of whispering sound, to
the hovering effect of violins over the determined pizzicati of the
celli, and to the collective swirl in the viola section that initiates
again many frenzied threads in the violins. This inspired composition
is a world indeed and, once in it, one does not leave. One is taken
over, one is held by this work for four woodwinds and strings that shapes
the landscape of one’s imagination. The Restless Wind, however,
is a work that never settles within the grasp of that same imagination,
but eludes our need to contain it. ----- (Premiere of Oct. 5/99 by the MCO, conducted by Simon
Streatfeild, "The music recalls the craggy individuality of Sibelius in its soundscape and character-- long string lines punctuated by animated woodwind trills, the roles often switching as the winds smooth out their phrases over agitated strings." — James Manishen, Winnipeg Free Press, Oct. 6/99 MAYA (two
oboes, string quartet, Balinese gender wayang quartet) (1998) "MAYA was most evocative, with seamless integration of the folk sounds into a work of much interest." James Manishen, Winnipeg Free Press "The ambitious blend of chiming rhythm patterns with deliberate sonic dissonance was an intriguing marriage of East and West." — John Kendle, Winnipeg Sun TEMPLE
STEPS for orchestra (1995) "...rhythmically alive and animated from within." — James Manishen, Winnipeg Free Press, Apr. 11/97 "...filled with forceful and captivating rhythms." — Neil Harris, Winnipeg Free Press, Jan. 24/96 DANCING
ON WINGS OF FIRE for solo button accordion and orchestra (1991) "Jim Hiscott's DANCING ON WINGS OF FIRE is another delight, its sunny theme nicely lodging in the subconscious and attractively developed." — James Manishen, Winnipeg Free Press, Feb. 12/94 BLUE OCEAN
(clarinet, button accordion [A/D], cello, piano) (1990) "[Hiscott] seems to enter an altered state when playing...His folk-based compositions take daredevil leaps...while simultaneously, deeply, working with his instrument's sound qualities." — Sibylle Preuchat, The National Chart, Toronto LESOTHO
(two-row button accordion [A/D]) (1988) "Composer Jim Hiscott...seemingly explored every capacity of the instrument-- from slow, wheezing shivers and shudders to funky vamps — creating a picture of workers labouring under mighty pressure, yet finding hope." — Randal McIlroy, Winnipeg Free Press SCENES
BEFORE THE FLOOD (two flutes, two trumpets, two percussion, contrabass)
(1987) "the cleverness of the situation was best appreciated in terms of Hiscott's music, particularly in the score's pointillistic passage — the sparkling of the glockenspiels, the chirruping of trumpets and flutes. The opening melody began like that, developing as it was passed around the room from one player to the next. Presently the musicians turned the room into a forest of sound, with the elemental rhythms of bass and congas." — Randal McIlroy, Winnipeg Free Press EXOCET
(electric guitar, electric piano) (1983) "EXOCET by Jim Hiscott...had an angular ground bass from the piano played against an electric guitar that alternated between violence and almost lyrical chording. The music had a sardonic bite of early Kurt Weill with rock music as the influence rather than jazz.. it was a disturbing piece." — Neil Harris, Winnipeg Free Press. THE FLOWERING
FOREST (alto flute, violin, cello, piano) (1982) "Jim Hiscott's THE FLOWERING FOREST...proved to be the most attractive composition whose appealing qualities of contrapuntal interplay and captivating exploitation of instrumental colour capably served to maintain interest over the music's brief course. The audience...clearly enjoyed hearing this work's first performance." — Don Anderson, Winnipeg Free Press. "...an intriguing balance of rhythm, melody, and instrumentation. ...Jim Hiscott has a marvelous future as a composer with his blend of new techniques and understanding of popular themes." — Tim Smith, The Winnipeg Sun. SPIRIT
REEL (violin, two-row button accordion [G/C]) (1982). "At times vigorous, at times lyrical and soaring, now haunting, now pulsating and dronelike...Much of [SPIRIT REEL] evoked the barn floor of former times and it must have been difficult for many of the audience to stay rooted to their pews rather than jumping up and swirling their partners round the aisles. It was a joyful and brilliant performance..." — letter to the editor, Globe and Mail "The first time I heard this piece on Stereo Morning I paused before consuming breakfast to enjoy this very moving piece. I also carefully notes the date, time and composition so that I could write to the CBC to find out how to obtain a copy of this recording." — Richard A. McFarlane, Edmonton; the Globe and Mail, Dec. 21/91. RED DAWN
(flute, clarinet, percussion) (1977). "...a bold and direct play of melodies and chords make it a pleasure to listen to this piece..." — Paul Barclay, The Manitoban THE SUN
AT MIDNIGHT (alto flute, oboe, cello, guitar, piano) (1976). "THE SUN AT MIDNIGHT was definitely the high point...Particularly noticeable were the wide leaps in the piano part and the haunting quality of the alto flute. A strong effect was created by the use of parallel octaves between several instruments near the end." — Richard Summers, Bulletin of the Guitar Society of Toronto WAKE (oboe,
clarinet, violin, cello, marimba) (1975) "Wednesday evening's recital of contemporary Canadian music was a pleasant surprise in that...it contained several works of substance. WAKE by Jim Hiscott was perhaps the best of the lot, atmospheric and evocative..." — Richard Todd, Monday-Victoria Magazine. PLANES
for orchestra (1973) "Planes is a powerful and convincing work. It is
at times, capricious, and times bold and evocative. |
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