Glennie and Seattle Symphony make the pulses pound

by Melinda Bargreen, Seattle Times

November 9, 2002

   "The American composer, who was in the house to receive the rapturous applause along with Glennie, has written a marvelous display piece that takes into acount the astonishing virtuosity of Glennie and the need to be careful not to overwhelm her with the collective sound of nearly 100 musicians.

   Brouwer's music is effective and solid, often rather atmospheric, and gives the percussion soloist many opportunities.  The vigorous phrases of strong fortes and excited passages are deftly joined with their opposite numbers.  There is much to keep one interested, especially with Glennie as the chief proponent.  The duets between soloist and other orchestral instruments- flutes, trombone, clarinet- were cleverly conceived and integrated into the whole.

...So subtle, so bold, so precisely timed and framed, her bravura playing of the new "Aurolucent Circles" by Margaret Brouwer drew a fascinated Benaroya Hall audience to its feet.

...The delicate and lovely effects at the beginning of the first and second movements were particularly well framed, in music that sounded appropriately other-worldly with harps and eerie string glissandos... "