Aspen Contemporary Ensemble plays Secret Ground

The Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, directed by Timothy Weiss,  performs Secret Ground at the Aspen Art Museum on August 10 at 6:00 p.m.   Secret Ground was  inspired by Martin Buber’s I and Thou, and its title is a quote from that source. To me, it suggested both the exploration of reciprocal relationships among the members of the quartet, and the notion of the intense presence of music, the vitality of communication in the moment. The title also refers to the traditional musical notion of the “ground,” a repeating bass line that weaves the structure together. Here, the “ground” is more hidden, and refers to the underlying pitch structure around which the four instrumental parts are built. Secret Ground was recorded by Da Capo Chamber Players on Dreamtigers, a portrait CD of Shatin”s chamber music.