Hauschka – Bush Hall, London 09/11/10

Adverse weather conditions may have stranded opener Library Tapes in Sweden, but neither rain nor snow nor gloom of Shepherd’s Bush could stay Volker Bertlemann from another exquisite performance. Modern classical music is a genre that’s sometimes easier to admire than enjoy, but for all the sophistication and technical qualities of Hauschka’s music, it’s never less than accessible. He’s capable of evoking a variety of moods and atmospheres – brooding and urgent; serene and languid – but there’s always passion there, open and unpretentious. For every sombre moment, there’s a playful one, and his heavy use of prepared piano lends even more charm to his compositions. At one point he places ping-pong balls on the piano strings to create a rattling, mechanical effect; at other times he changes the timbre to be softer, more delicate.

Given the limited amount of rehearsal time, the ensemble did well to keep the sometimes complex arrangements together, although the strings did occasionally fumble the odd syncopated rhythm or flourish. Hasuchka himself comes across as an eccentric, affable fellow, full of rambling but insightful anecdotes about the composition process; one piece, he tells us, was inspired by the hour-long sitdown he has to take to acclimatise himself to the hustle and bustle of East London. He also revealed that his next project will be a “techno” album, based entirely around the piano, which should make for some interesting live performances. But for him to continue on a more conventional path would be no bad thing – as long as he continues to experiment, innovate and delight.