Final Earplay Recital Highlights Flutist Tod Brody

The second half of last night’s Earplay recital presented the world premiere of a work commissioned by the Barlow Endowment for the benefit of composer Benjamin Sabey. Sadly, the occasion felt as if Sabey wanted to spend more time talking about his music than allowing it to be performed. Mind you, the full title was also a lengthy one: “Dream Suite for sextet in six, cyclic, attacca movements.” The performers were flutist Tod Brody, Peter Josheff on both treble and bass clarinets, the string trio of Terrie Baune (violin), Ellen Ruth Rose (viola), and Leighton Fong (cello), and pianist Margaret Halbig. They were conducted by Mary Chun. Sadly, the music was a drearier slog than the composer’s verbal introduction; and it was disappointing that the full efforts of the season should conclude with such disappointment.

Terrie Baune, Margaret Halbig, Thalia Moore, and Tod Brody playing “El bailongo” (screenshot from last night’s video steam of the final Earplay recital of the season)

Fortunately, the first half of the program was far more engaging. All three selections were performed by flutist Tod Brody. He began with a solo performance of Carolyn Chen’s “Stomachs of Ravens,” which was distinguished by its wide diversity of different approaches to breath techniques. This was followed by the winner of last year’s Earplay Vibrant Shores Composition Competition. The composer was Edna Alejandra Longoria, whose “El bailongo” was scored for flute, cello (Thalia Moore), violin, and piano. This emerged as a series of playful fragments, which explored the different combos that could emerge from the four performers. Finally, Brody performed a duo with Rose, “Friction,” completed by Mei Fang Lin in 2009 on an Earplay commission.

I have been following Brody’s contributions to Earplay for as long as I have been aware of the ensemble. Over those many years, I have been consistently impressed by his technique and his approaches to new repertoire. Last night’s focus on his instrument made for one of my most satisfying encounters with the ensemble.