Boredom, bliss intertwine through new music

Donald Rosenberg- The Plain Dealer

November 19, 1998

     "In terms of sheer enjoyment, Margaret Brouwer's Crosswinds towered over everything else on the program. The piece is a nostalgic evocation of country landscapes and sounds, replete with open hearted gestures, poetic sighs a la Mahler and hoe-down activity taking Copland to frisky extremes. The score's energy and tenderness were embraced to rapturous degree by the Cavani String Quartet, which is in residence at the institute. In the extroverted moments, the musicians were generous in sharing material and keeping Brouwer's flow of ideas on a propulsive course. They sang lovingly in the poetic passages of Dusk, the slow movement. The Cavani propelled and hugged the piece as if it were a burst of creativity."