A great concert

I recuperated well enough to go to a concert in the evening (of December 1): Ensemble Zipangu, named after the piece by Claude Vivier which was also on the program. The string players are a sub-group of the orchestra of the local opera house, and they gave a thrilling performance of four excellent pieces by Peter Sculthorpe (Sonata 3 for strings), Tan Dun (Concerto for gu-zeng and strings), George Lenz (Birrung) and Claude Vivier (Zipangu). All of this music was substantial, accessible, often exciting, and really the kind of stuff that I like best. The Vivier piece was a fitting conclusion to the concert; strange, searching music, full of drama and beauty. I'm so glad that I dragged myself out of the house for this!