NEW MUSIC GROUP : PREMIERE OF MOSKO’S ‘TIPHARETH’

On Monday, the first evening of Passover, Stephen Mosko unveiled his “Road to Tiphareth,” a 23-minute excursion into the world of Jewish mysticism. Judging from the enthusiastic response of a modest-size audience at the Japan America Theatre, the piece proved hardly mystical.

At least one observer, however, failed to make a connection between the CalArts-based composer’s carefully written program notes--”Tiphareth” is the sixth plane of spiritual awareness, “the first sensual manifestation of the primordial emanation”--and the nebulous ramblings offered by nine members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group.

Mosko drew refined playing from the ensemble, which was augmented by a trio from CalArts: percussionists Arthur Jarvinen and Amy Knoles and pianist Lorna Eder.

The piece may have been written with Jarvinen and Knoles in mind, since their virtuosic skills proved crucial. Placed on either side of the stage, they supplied continual punctuation to the ebbing and flowing sounds of two pianos, three strings and two winds, center stage. Low rumblings in the timpani seemed to serve as a dramatic call to attention, while sharp exclamations often intruded to bring matters to a momentary halt.

Interesting effects, committed playing, crisp conducting--but what it all had to do with planes of awareness is anyone’s guess. Mosko unwittingly provided an apt description to end his notes: “ ‘The Road to Tiphareth,’ ” he wrote, “is always directed somewhere, ultimately going nowhere.”

There was little doubt in the remainder of the program--the New Music Group’s final offering of the season--that Mosko’s credentials as a conductor are well in order. The concert opened with an immaculately played “Unanswered Question” of Ives, in its chamber setting (1906). With strings submerged in the pit and the sole trumpet (Donald Green) positioned in the balcony corner, this light-years-ahead-of-its-time piece seemed spacey indeed.

Elliott Carter’s complex “Triple Duo” emerged as a brisk walk in the park. The ensemble charged through this difficult music, responding to Mosko with precision and vitality.

Preceding “Tiphareth,” Dale Hikawa and Zita Carno gave a taut reading of the third piece from Morton Feldman’s “The Viola in My Life.” Carno’s delicately stated piano chords matched perfectly the subtle one-note sighings of Hikawa’s viola. Here were abstract musings that required no extended annotations to become understood and felt.