Adam Rudolph – “Morphic Resonances” (Meta Records, 2017)

“Morphic Resonance” is the new contemporary academical music alsum released this month by “Meta Records”. The compositions by Adam Rudolph were recorded in this album. Adam Rudolph is an American composer, improviser and percussionist. His composing style is based on various elements synthesis – world music, free jazz, bebop, hard-bop and other modern jazz styles, various contemporary academical music and avant-garde elements form the basement of the musical pattern. The composer musical language is very passionate, rich and expressive. Various musical expressions, extended playing techniques, adventurous and free experiments create original and lively sound of his compositions. The main part of his works are free improvisations, compositions for various chamber ensembles and string quartets, pieces for solo instruments and many other type compositions. Adam Rudolph compositions were recorded by various artists in this album – “Momenta String Quartet”, Kaoru Watanabe, Marco Capelli, Sana Nagano, “Odense Percussion Group” and “Figura/Kammeratorkestret Ensemble”. All these collectives and musicians have original and innovative playing manner and are always creating vivacious, versatile and effective sound. The music by various contemporary academical music composers is played with passion, emotionally, expressive and adventurous.

Album compositions are full of different music styles and genres elements. Avant-garde jazz, various modern jazz styles such as bebop and hard-bop, contemporary classical music and academic avant-garde, experimental music and expresionism are effectively and marvelously combined together. Each composition is very different from others – it’s based on individual styles, musical expressions, have its own mood and character. “Morphic Resonances” and “Syntactic Adventures” are written for string quartet. The compositions are based on various contemporary academical music styles – serialism, atonality, puantilistic structure, polyphonic form and has a colorful and dramatic background. Various types of pizzicatos and glissando, special sound effects, dynamic rhythmic and dramatic melodies make expressive, expresionistic and emotional character of these compositions.

“Garden, Ashes” is a flute and guitar duo. This composition is based on free form, homophonic structure, high variety of extended playing techniques. It also has lyrical mood and soft, subtle and calm sound. Lyric and solemn melodies are mixed with some fast arpeggios, various monotonic and repetitive rhythms. The restful and peaceful sound is made with simple musical expressions and has a synthesis with Asian countries music. Japan and other Asian countries ethnic music intonations, melodic elements are mixed with various European classical music harmony chords, rhythms, free form and improvisation elements.

“Strange Thought” is a solo composition for violin. The composition have free form, contemporary classical music elements are masterly mixed with free improvisation. Vital, expressive or lyric and slow violin melodies are full of musical experiments, extended playing techniques and sudden changes of moods and characters. Different short episodes are highly contrasting with each other – after loud and expressive melodies there comes slow and dramatic pieces. This dynamic combination and high variety of contrasts create interesting and gorgeous sound of this composition.

“Orbits” is a composition written for percussion ensemble. It’s more like a free collective improvisation mixed with some elements of contemporary academical music. Expressive, light and gentle vibraphones, colorful other percussion instruments sounds are mixed with some energetic drum rolls and other active rhythms. The composition is based on avant-garde and mdoern jazz styles synthesis and has a soft, subtle and gentle sound.

“Coincidentia Opositorum” is dedicated for chamber ensemble. Same as in some earlier compositions, high variety of different music styles and moods are fused together in this one. Expressive and energetic solos which has many various jazz styles elements and harmonic intonations, are mixed with dramatic and loud episodes or soft, peaceful and calm pieces. The high variety of playing techniques is also heard very much in this composition. Rich and colorful musical language is decorated with wide range of musical expressions, styles synthesis, different characters and moods changes, high variety of dynamics and special sound effects. This composition is very moody, colorful and has a gorgeous sound.

“Lamento” is the final composition of this album and is dedicated for flute and guitar. As same as in “Garden, Ashes” there’s heard the elements of Asian countries ethnical music – rhythms, some harmonis and melodic intonations, microtonal music elements. Composition has restful, soft and interesting sound. It’s as masterful combination of Asian and European music and free improvisation.

All compositions of this album demonstrate original and interesting composing style of Adam Rudolph. The expressive and rich musical language, adventurous and extraordinary decisions, wide range of various styles masterfully fused together and emotional, precisely and innovative musicians playing create original and outstanding sound of this album compositions.