Simple Lines of Enquiry

Canadian composer Ann Southam’s Simple Lines of Enquiry is an eloquent and quietly emotional work relying on its slow unraveling to evoke a magically suspended, weightless sound world. Its stillness and intimacy invite listeners into an environment of deep listening and contemplation.

Eve Egoyan is a Canadian concert pianist who specializes in the performance of new works. She has enjoyed many collaborations with Ann Southam including Remembering Schubert (CBC Records, 1997), Qualities of Consonance (CBC commission, premièred at the Sound Symposium,
Newfoundland, 1998), Figures for solo piano and string orchestra (CBC commission, premièred with theToronto Symphony, 2001) and In Retrospect (2005). Visit Eve at http://www.eveegoyan.com

One of “2009: Ten Exceptional Recordings” favoured by Alex Ross of The New Yorker

“I can’t say enough about the quiet, simple beauty of Canadian composer Ann Southam’s new, one-hour piano suite Simple Lines of Enquiry, or about its sparkling interpreter, Toronto pianist Eve Egoyan. Just released on the Centrediscs label, piece and pianist create a profound experience that transcends any and all musical genres.”
– John Terauds, The Toronto Star

“…if one is willing to relax and let the music take you away for an hour, there is a wonderful journey to be had here. With her patient attention to detail and willingness not to rush the space between the notes, Eve Egoyan is the perfect guide
– David Olds, The Wholenote

“Despite the fact that I now have forty days and eighteen hours of music on my computer, enough to outlast the Flood, I keep returning to a stack of favorite disks that I keep next to my stereo. I’m listening to Simple Lines of Enquiry, an immense, glacial, hypnotic piano work by the Canadian composer Ann Southam, on Centrediscs.”

– Alex Ross, The New Yorker

“Simple Lines of Enquiry is a major statement, an hour-long solo work that delivers the most complete expression yet of Southam’s remarkable intervallic language, a style that makes the spaces between as interesting as the notes themselves.”
– Brian Morton, Wire

“If you have an ear for quiet adventure I cannot recommend Southam’s piece highly enough.”
– Paul Wells, Macleans

Video:

Surface Tension: a collaborative interdisciplinary work by Eve Egoyan and David Rokeby

1-11. Simple Lines of Enquiry

PERFORMER:

Eve Egoyan