Friar/ Now Ensemble/ Friar - Before & After

This new release is an extensively collaborative work from NOW Ensemble, a group whose "formal elegance of chamber music" meets with "a pop-honed concision and rhythmic vitality" (Time Out New York) and composer Sean Friar. Friar writes: "Before and After is my imagining of moments during a civilization's lifespan, from rise to fall, and a reflection on our place in the rhythm of the world's much larger and longer patterns. The piece is comprised of a collection of connected vignettes rather than a linear narrative, with movements presented like memories of a story whose outcome is already known. The movements depict a range of themes related to the concept of the piece, including: our idealized notions of the beginnings of civilization; the transformation of "growth" from something positive and necessary to something destructive; nostalgia for our personal and collective halcyon days, whether real or imagined; and the struggle to persist against perhaps irreversible trends." With a unique instrumentation of flute, clarinet, electric guitar, double bass, and piano, NOW Ensemble brings a fresh sound and a new perspective to the classical tradition, infused with the musical influences that reflect the diverse backgrounds of it's members. NOW Ensemble has brought some of the most exciting composers of their generation to national and international recognition.