Night After Night: American Contemporary Music Ensemble at Le Poisson Rouge, September 11, 2012

ACME, by Michael Appleton/The New York Times

American Contemporary Ensemble at Le Poisson Rouge, September 11, 2012
The New York Times, Sept. 12, 2012

This one posed difficulties, and one most of all: It was hard to get over my pre-existing feelings of ambivalence toward Steve Reich's WTC 9/11 — its methods, tone and message — and even harder to set aside my lingering deep distaste for the controversial original cover of the Nonesuch recording of that piece, and for the initial responses from Mr. Reich and the record label, who eventually and rightly replaced the cover art.

That said, listening to music and sorting through your responses shouldn't necessarily be easy, and this was a challenge worth taking up. If, in the end, I still find WTC 9/11 to be a piece I would not choose to revisit — even as I understand almost entirely what prompted Reich to create what he did — hearing the piece played in the close wake of its precursors, the superb Different Trains and the underrated Triple Quartet, caused me to pick up compositional nuances I'd previously missed in the heat of the work's initial arrival. That, plus outstanding performances and sympathetic company, made the experience worthwhile.

Regarding the couple who left midway through: I probably will never know precisely what it was that made them pack up and go. Given that they stiffed their waiter on the bill, it feels safe to presume that someone was uncontrollably upset. My other tablemates were dismayed on the waiter's behalf, but he assured everyone that the shortfall wouldn't be counted against him.

I added what should have been their tip to my tab.

You should be able to listen to the concert fairly soon on the NPR Music website… what's presently posted is not the concert, but studio recordings used as a space-holder. (The woodwinds midway through are kind of a dead giveaway, no?)

Update: You can listen to the entire concert on the NPR Music website now. Turns out the pristine audio posted on that page actually is the ACME performance…the confusing woodwind bit was a recording of Reich's Vermont Counterpoint originally inserted to cover the intermission. A tip of the hat to all at NPR for capturing such a fine recording, and for getting it posted so quickly.