MUSIC REVIEWS : E.A.R. UNIT AT COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART

Frequent stage resetting is common at Monday Evening Concerts. But in a fashion typical of its brash yet professional approach, the California E.A.R. Unit made even that work for it, Monday at the County Museum of Art.

The CalArts-based, new-music collective brings a feeling of showmanship to its concerts. The efforts were modest--a tiered setup for the first number, a few pieces performed in front of the Bing Theater curtain, lighting changes --but added visual interest and made stage management more efficient.

The climax of the nicely paced program, however, proved frustrating. Burr van Nostrand’s “Fantasy Manual for Urban Survival” (1972) is a richly and effectively scored 34-minute trio for amplified flute, cello and prepared piano.

But it is inflated with discursive, cliche-ridden doodling, and sets a Hoelderlin poem in the center with stereotyped, often unintelligible, Sprechgesang, weakly rendered by Dorothy Stone, Erika Duke and Gaylord Mowrey. They also failed to communicate apparent touches of satire and black humor in their otherwise strong reading.

At 12 minutes, Rand Steiger’s “Dialogues III” is expansive enough to make a comprehensive statement, and compressed enough for urgent power. It also made a bravura vehicle for Amy Knoles, intently prowling a sharply defined percussion battery. Pianist Mowrey seconded her performance, with their contributions reinforced, directed and occasionally opposed by a synthesized part.

“Egyptian Two-Step” by Arthur Jarvinen was heard for the first time. A giddy, self-mocking mixture of Dave Brubeck and Philip Glass, it proved a relaxing opener involving most of the Unit, with the composer featured in a deliberately stodgy harmonica solo.

Like “Fantasy Manual” and “Dialogues III,” pianist Lorna Little’s playing of two Etudes by Ligeti was claimed as a local first. Her rapt performance failed to distinguish “Cordes vides” from “Arc-en-ciel” for at least one listener.

Two 1984 homages by Elliott Carter completed the program. “Esprit rude/esprit doux,” composed for Pierre Boulez’s 60th birthday, brought flutist Stone and clarinetist Theresa Tunnicliff together in a virtuosic musical chase of wit and pith.

“Canon for Four,” written for William Glock’s retirement as director of the Bath Festival, is a characteristic complexity which nonetheless makes an enjoyable instrumental romp. Stone, Duke, violinist Robin Lorentz and bass clarinetist James Rohrig stressed its playful precision.