The National Gallery of Australia, which houses several of America’s finest minimalist artworks, was the perfect place to experience some of the most iconic (mostly American) musical works of the late 20th century.

The performers were the Dudok Quartet from Amsterdam, Pavel Ralev (guitar), Florian Peelman (viola) and Roland Peelman, CIMF’s Artistic Director, on piano.

The event started with Steve Reich’s Clapping Music, a composition of intricate layers of rhythms. Roland and Florian Peelman (father and son) performed it with great accuracy.

After shaking his hands to remove the remnants of all that clapping, Roland then stepped to the piano to perform Spin Bird, by Australian composer Kate Moore. This circular, unwinding music, like other minimalist piano pieces, unwound through keys until it slowed to a halt.

Pavel Ralev, American Modern, Canberra International Music Festival, 2024. Photo © Peter Hislop

The London-based Bulgarian classical guitarist Pavel Ralev then performed Reich’s Electric Counterpoint, its plucks and echoes sending the audience into a mesmeric state of bliss. In and out, back and forward like human breath, the music formed into a loop falling in on itself. Short snatches of melody floated through its repetitive layering. Around it went until the sound was again on top of itself. Hypnotic stuff.

Next, the Peelmans again, this time with Florian on viola and Roland at the piano. Meredith Monk’s Gotham Lullaby had only just begun before an odd noise coming from somewhere in the building disturbed the players and they had to start again.

This gentle tonal work repeats a short rising phrase on piano as the viola performed a searching melody wrapped in a curious musical statement that seemed to be saying something else. Through key changes, it modulated, and it maintained its mysterious and subtle nature to the end.

Dudok Quartet, American Modern, Canberra International Music Festival, 2024. Photo © Peter Hislop

The final work, Steve Reich’s, Different Trains, was performed by the Dudok Quartet, who had some fun setting up their mics and music stands. Originally written for the Kronos Quartet, the backing track for the piece was re-recorded by this quartet for this performance.

Sounding like a locomotive, this music grinds progressively through a wall of sound and spoken word to form an envelope of phrases and train-like imitations. Like the quickly changing scenery glimpsed from a fast train, the music became a blurred scene, flashing before your ears until everything blends into itself. A hell of a ride, performed with focus and dedication.