Sufjan Stevens performed 'Round-Up' at BAM; tour tickets on sale today
The music is performed by Mr. Stevens, on keyboards and electronics, and Yarn/Wire, a contemporary chamber group of two pianists and two percussionists. Although one segment had a beat on drum and rattle, vaguely suggesting Native American music (the rodeo includes a Native American parade in traditional costumes) the score avoided Oregon’s local color for what might be BAM’s local color: minimalist contemplation. It was full of glimmering sounds — bowed vibraphone, pretty piano chords — with, now and then, something staticky or sprockety from Mr. Stevens’s electronics. For each segment — concentrating on one rodeo event, intercutting various competitors and performers — Mr. Stevens chose a strategy and stuck to it: a certain texture, a certain beat, perhaps with chromatic meanderings, perhaps not. Calf roping got running, Bachian counterpoint, while a segment with a lone calf had Yarn/Wire singing a cappella harmonies. [NY Times]
Sufjan Stevens wrapped up the world premiere of his new piece, Round-Up, earlier this week, which ran from January 20-25 at BAM. The quote above is from NY Times‘ review of one of the performances. Did you catch one?
As you may know, Sufjan’s next project is his upcoming album, Carrie & Lowell, which is due out March 31 via Asthmatic Kitty. He’s calling it a return to his folk roots, which is what made us fall in love with him in the first place. Tickets for his tour in support of it go on sale at 10 AM local time today (1/30). The NYC shows happen at Beacon Theatre on April 11 (tickets) and at the newly refurbished Kings Theatre on May 1 (tickets).