Südwest Presse / Nov 2019
...Wie lässt sich so etwas toppen? Mit enier Fast-Uraufführung. Der britische Komponist David Bruce hat sein "Lick Quartet" im Auftrag der Kammermusikgesellschaft Dallas und des Concertgebouw Für die Musiker aus Philadelphia geschrieben. Und nach Dallas und Amsterdam erklang es im Stadthaus das erste Mal in Deutschland. Ein Wek, das ein Lick, so nenne Kazzer und Rockmusiker einen kleinin Melodiefetzen, den sie aus ihrem Hand-werkskasten beim Improvisieren herausholen, in vier Satzen durch-dekliniert: mal polyrhythmisch, mal mit wilden Abwärts-glissandi, die an Dive-bombs von Hardrockgitarristen erinnern, mal mit der heiteren Volkstümlichkeit eines Anton Dovrak oder der ensteren Vaiante eines Leos Janacek.
Speiltechnisch und rhythmisch bewegt sich de Bruce-komposition auf hochstem Niveau. Nur merkte man da diesen Musikern einfach nich an. Was beim Horer ankam, war schilchte Freude am Umgang mit Versatzstücken, Stilzitaten und wieder dieser unglaublich dichte Klang. Das alles riss enige so mit, dass es auch zwischen den Satzen Applaus gab.
Speiltechnisch und rhythmisch bewegt sich de Bruce-komposition auf hochstem Niveau. Nur merkte man da diesen Musikern einfach nich an. Was beim Horer ankam, war schilchte Freude am Umgang mit Versatzstücken, Stilzitaten und wieder dieser unglaublich dichte Klang. Das alles riss enige so mit, dass es auch zwischen den Satzen Applaus gab.
dallasnews.com / Oct 2019
This was the world premiere of a 22-minute work jointly commissioned by the Dallas series and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. Bruce, an American-born British composer in his late 40s, gave a helpful spoken introduction and shared in enthusiastic applause afterward.
The word "lick", common in jazz parlance, here refers to a short melodic motif that appears in each of four movements. The movements pay subtle tribute to two classical and two jazz composers: in turn, Tigran Hamasyan, Antonin Dvorak, Jacob Collier and Leos Janacek.
With often dancing, jabbing syncopations, the music sometimes hints at folk idioms, from the British Isles and Bohemia. In addition to patches of pluckings, there are occasional pitch slides and wispy high harmonics. It all adds up to an immediately engaging work, and the Dover gave it a dazzling performance.
The word "lick", common in jazz parlance, here refers to a short melodic motif that appears in each of four movements. The movements pay subtle tribute to two classical and two jazz composers: in turn, Tigran Hamasyan, Antonin Dvorak, Jacob Collier and Leos Janacek.
With often dancing, jabbing syncopations, the music sometimes hints at folk idioms, from the British Isles and Bohemia. In addition to patches of pluckings, there are occasional pitch slides and wispy high harmonics. It all adds up to an immediately engaging work, and the Dover gave it a dazzling performance.
yorkpress.co.uk / Jul 2019
Bliss and the Carduccis raised the roof with David Bruce’s Gumboots (2008), which refers to South African labourers’ footwear in flooded gold mines. Its innocent opening, with bass clarinet, is deceptively calm. What follows, with normal clarinet, is a whacky dance that grows increasingly wild, with jazzy syncopation, crazy cross-rhythms, trills and eventually all three together. The enjoyment of all five of these brilliant players was irresistibly infectious.
Canberra Times / Jan 2019
2018 Highlights
Avi Avital & Giocoso String Quartet was a concert of richly varied textures – a refresher for ears accustomed to the traditional classical nuances of the chamber music sound. For me the highlight of the evening was David Bruce's Cymbeline for mandolin and string quartet, composed in 2013. His cleverly constructed first movement, Sunrise, established the separation of instrument registers and created spacious sonorities.
Bruce's music tells us immediately that he understands the value of every instrumental voice for whom he is writing. He is a master of rhythmic patterning and builds dramatic tension by throwing rhythmic hooks to catch our imagination and snare our expectations.
Avi Avital & Giocoso String Quartet was a concert of richly varied textures – a refresher for ears accustomed to the traditional classical nuances of the chamber music sound. For me the highlight of the evening was David Bruce's Cymbeline for mandolin and string quartet, composed in 2013. His cleverly constructed first movement, Sunrise, established the separation of instrument registers and created spacious sonorities.
Bruce's music tells us immediately that he understands the value of every instrumental voice for whom he is writing. He is a master of rhythmic patterning and builds dramatic tension by throwing rhythmic hooks to catch our imagination and snare our expectations.
