STRING QUARTET NO. 1
THE MUSIC OF ERICH ZANN
BASED ON THE STORY BY H.P. LOVECRAFT
SIRIUS QUARTET
OVERVIEW
Composer Michael J. Evans’ THE MUSIC OF ERICH ZANN is a startling and surreal musical interpretation of H.P. Lovecraft’s 1922 tale of the eponymous violist – a mysterious old man who seemingly protects himself from dark, magical forces by playing the viol.
Evans is a gifted melodist, and his other PARMA Recordings and Navona albums showcase his predilections for the rich textures and harmonic language of late European Romanticism. In the THE MUSIC OF ERICH ZANN, however, Evans departs from these tendencies, to an extent, in order to convey a clear, taut, and compelling musical narrative full of exotic sounds that capture the mysticism and drama of Lovecraft’s story.
Evans sets an ominous stage for the piece in its first movement, which alternates between slow, dark counterpoint in the cello and violin and rhythmic interjections of col legno battuto – a technique that calls for string players to play their instruments by hitting them with the wood of their bows. In this introduction, the quartet strains and creaks, embodying the ghostly, derelict boarding house that serves as the setting of Lovecraft’s story.
The tale is told retrospectively through the eyes of a university student who happens upon the tenement in an unnamed European city. The story’s narrator seems not to be represented by a specific theme in Evans’ interpretation, but he clearly marks the otherworldly musical performances of his elderly neighbor by adding electronic delay and other sounds to the quartet’s performance.
This special effect is the most extreme in Evans’ aforementioned palette of evocative and unusual sounds, which also includes glissandi, harmonics, and, most powerfully, a variety of sophisticated rhythmic textures that suggest the paranormal characteristics of Lovecraft’s boarding house. Evans also uses these sonic markers with irreproachable skill to build dramatic tension and lead the listener into the story’s climactic scene, the apex of which is made more frightening by a human scream.
Here, the dark stakes of Lovecraft’s story violate the abstraction of Evans’ purely musical setting and seemingly become real. The moment is jarring and visceral – a tremendously effective aural expression of the confrontation that takes place between evil forces and Lovecraft’s main characters. Evans’ piece ends almost exactly as it began, which invites the listener to wonder the same thing as Lovecraft’s narrator who, after years of searching, cannot find the mysterious boarding house: ‘was this all a dream?’.
HIGHLIGHTS
Michael J. Evans resides in Washington, D.C., where he is an active composer of orchestral, chamber, and solo instrumental works
His musical language is post-modern, mixing elements of various styles and time periods into a cohesive work
He has recorded with the St Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra, Millennium Symphony Orchestra, Kiev Philharmonic, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, and, the Moravian Philharmonic
Evans’ use of special sounds and textures embody the mystical factors in his source material
Otherwordly melodies are an important device in the H.P. Lovecraft story Evans is interpreting in this piece – he meets the challenge of bringing them to life in his music
ALSO ON
(NV6029) MISERY
Michael J. Evans
Release Date February 10, 2017
Catalog #: NV6083
TRACK LISTING
String Quartet No. 1, The Music of Erich Zann
Sirius Quartet
Scene 1
Scene 2
Scene 3
Scene 4
Scene 5
Scene 6
Scene 7
Scene 8
Epilogue
Credits
Cover Artwork: Kim Holm
The Music of Erich Zann
Executive Producer Bob Lord
Executive A&R Sam Renshaw
A&R Alex Bourne
Audio Director Jeff LeRoy
Engineering Manager Lucas Paquette
Art & Production Director Brett Picknell
Graphic Design Emily Roulo
Marketing Scott Murphy
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