Sufjan Stevens Reflections Timo Andres, Conor Hanick (piano) Asthmatic Kitty Records AKR148 29:12 mins
Sufjan Stevens might be best known for his singing and songwriting, but he has long composed for visual media, not least film and dance. Reflections is the sixth collaboration between Stevens and choreographer Justin Peck, a partnership which has spawned several dynamic, small-scale pieces of dance theatre.
Stevens has previously written ballet music for the piano, an instrument that has an intimate relationship with the genre though often restricted to the practice room. It is, however, his first work written for piano duet, a form which enables dense, thick textures to give way to sparser moments of canon – techniques that provide ample opportunities for the dancers to interact and move between one another, their bodies reflecting the movement of the music.
Performed by Timo Andres and Conor Hanick, there is very little room for error here, with both pianists passing tightly woven melodies between one another at a sharpish tempo. Their delivery is precise and incredibly well executed. While this might not be a particularly varied work stylistically when heard in isolation, it provides a highly effective basis for dance and is a vibrant, highly energetic listen.
Freya Parr
