Jason Kao Hwang

A true achievement in balancing writing and improvising for strings, Jason Kao Hwang’s Myths of Origin is a nine-part mini suite which blends variations of string playing with the pulse of forward moving percussion. Besides the 23 players of violins, violas, cellos, guitars and one double bassist, the accents and cadences of percussionist Andrew Drury are most crucial in shaping the ongoing creation. He also isn’t alone. Bassist Ken Filiano adds pizzicato power projections at points to bond the rhythmic bottom so as not to let the string sections descend to the pop slickness of 1,001 strings or even the Soulful Strings.

In an analogous way there really isn’t much chance of that happening. That’s because many of the string players’ backgrounds include intersection in Jazz or Improvised Music settings where power counts for more than palatableness.

Throughout the group string blends quivers with a combination of spiccato runs and sul ponticello sharpness, with twangs, frails and flanges from the three guitarists helping to propel the discursive turns of arco adjustments. Additionally, as the bow-propelled actions outline the theme and sectional variations, repetition, cross pulsing and irregular stops are as common as unison motifs or formalism.

Just as the drummer breaks up the time and narrative with forays into kettle drum-like pops, cymbal clangs and full kit shuffles, some of the shimmering arco solo work takes on many identities as it flows through the connected sequences. Stripped of romanticism, strained spawls and slides are emphasized. More crucially soloists or strings duos and trios emphasize slides and stops, hoedown-like jumps, contrapuntal challenges between arco and pizzicato stresses, and in the case of the four cellists, stop-time scrapes and creative squeaks.

Inclusive and understated turns toward funk and swing are also part of the performance, which by the climax slides from incorporating skyscraping shimmering strings to a tutti suppleness. This motif connects warmly with guitar twangs, double bass stops and drum shakes to sweep upwards and confirm the suite’s originality.

With Myths of Origin Hwang confirms that his sound sophistication encompasses large as  well as small group creativity. If there’s any criticism it’s that none of the soloists are identified.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. The Collapse of Gravity 2. Spin Fast and Burn 3. Multiply and Rise 4. Dust Gathers Around Sleep 5. Landmarks Vanish 6. Where Fools Fear 7. Ancestors of Light 8. Anthem Of Knowing 9. Never Forgotten

Personnel: Charles Burnham, Mark Chung, gabby fluke-mogul, Keir GoGwilt, Rosi Hertlein, Gwen Laster, Elena Moon Park, Ben Sutin, Tom Swafford, Johnna Wu (violins); Ginger Dolden, Melanie Dyer, Judith Insell, Pete Lanctot, Eric Salazar (violas); Dara Bloom, Kirin McElwain, Lester St. Louis, Tomas Ulrich (cellos); Che Chen, Anders Nilsson, Hans Tammen (guitars); Ken Filiano (bass); Andrew Drury (drums); Jason Kao Hwang (conductor)