Peter Garland’s “The Basketweave Elegies” is an enchanting nine-movement work for solo vibraphone, performed by celebrated percussionist William Winant. Garland writes: “I want to write music that is well-made, sturdy, useful, and beautiful—like a basket.” Peter Garland is a composer, world traveler, musicologist, and writer whose music — often cited as an example of “radical consonance” — is always informed by his well-traveled ear and strong sense of personal vision. He studied music composition with Harold Budd and James Tenney and maintained long friendships with Lou Harrison, Conlon Nancarrow, Paul Bowles, and Dane Rudhyar. Cold Blue Music has released seven recordings of his work, including “Three Dawns,” “Moon Viewing Music,” “String Quartets,” and “After the Wars.”
“Garland’s music seems to be about the sheer expressive power of sound itself … ” (Fanfare) “Garland is an avatar of an experimental American tradition … a composer of mesmerizing music.”(Kyle Gann, Chamber Music magazine) “Garland is … a marvelous artist. I admire his work a lot” (Harold Budd). Performer William Winant, a Grammy-nominated percussionist who has performed with some of the most innovative and creative musicians of our time, including John Cage, Iannis Xenakis, Keith Jarrett, Anthony Braxton, James Tenney, Cecil Taylor, George Lewis, Steve Reich and Musicians, Yo-Yo Ma, Frederic Rzewski, Ursula Oppens, Joan LaBarbara, Sonic Youth, and Kronos Quartet. He has appeared on a number of releases on the Cold Blue Music label.
