Jürg Frey: Circular Music Ext. no. 1 / no. 2 / Ext. no. 2.

On May 15th 2023, Swiss clarinetist, composer and Wandelweiser member Jürg Frey reached the age of seventy. From February 14th to 16th 2023, the tracks which comprise this album had been recorded at Rue des Fabriques, Brussels; they are all Frey compositions which were adapted by the eight players performing them. On the album sleeve, no mention is made of Frey's milestone event; however, this album serves well as a (belated) celebration of it.

Between 2011 and 2016, Frey composed a series of seven pieces, entitled Circular Music nos 1 to 7 and, between 2014 and 2015, he composed another series, Extended Circular Music nos 1 to 10. The three pieces here are the first two of the latter series, separated by the second of the former. "Extended Circular Music No.1" runs for fifteen minutes, "Circular Music No. 2" for thirty-four, and "Extended Circular Music No. 2" for fifteen. By and large, the adaptations by the players are not very radical; yes, Frey's line- up of violin, viola, violoncello and piano for "Extended Circular Music No. 1" loses cello and piano while gaining the Renaissance string instrument, the cittern, two voices, theremin, and Indian harmonium, but more radical is that "Extended Circular Music No.2" written for solo piano is played by an octet.

Straight from the start of the opening track, it is obvious that the changes of instrumentation are not vital, as the mood and feel of the piece's sustained notes shine through and are just as soothing and easy on the ear as ever. If anything, the arrival of the two voices, which sing long wordless notes, subtly improves the piece. Similarly, the closing track, the octet version of "Extended Circular Music No. 2," transfers well from solo piano to the large ensemble which includes electronics, accordion and voices; as a whole it is gentle and melodic with a pleasant quasi-religious mood.

Between those two pieces, lying at the heart of the album is the longer piece, "Circular Music No. 2" which is very different to the pieces that bookend it. Listeners who are familiar with Frey's Circular Music pieces from albums such as Circles and Landscapes (Another Timbre, 2015) or Ephemeral Constructions (Edition Wandelweiser, 2017) may not immediately identify the octet's version here; nonetheless, this piano-less version with electronics is completely at home here and generates an atmosphere very similar to the other tracks, thus meaning that the three pieces feel made for each other. Taken as a whole, this album will be welcomed by admirers of Frey's work, and will also make a good starting point for those new to Frey.