Thursday, 19 February 2026

METROPOLIS ENSEMBLE, ERIK HALL & SANDBOX PERCUSSION — CANTO OSTINATO SECTIONS 74-87

In 2023 Erik Hall released his fresh take of Canto Ostinato by Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt. The 1976 work "voor toetsinstrumenten" (keyboard instruments) took on Hall's now characteristic aesthetic, with the softness of felted piano and robust electric piano creating a sense of intimacy, like a miniature symphony played within the feather-lined court of a pillow fort.

Three years later, Hall, along with Andrew Cyr of the Metropolis Ensemble and members of Sandbox Percussion, have announced the release of a collaborative recording of Canto Ostinato.

The new interpretation sees the flavour of ten Holt's composition much altered — and the first offering from the release, 'Sections 74-87', gives cause for anticipation. Taking up the reins of freedom offered by the composition, we see mallet instruments of Sandbox Percussion give a muscular yet chiming backdrop to the piece, while an octet of woodwinds (led by saxophonist and composer David Leon and eighteen strings, headed up by violinist Kristin Lee, give the piece a new, soaring direction. Hall's grand piano ties the piece together, providing a link to the toetsinstrumenten for which it was first intended.

Arriving in its entirety 3rd April, Canto Ostinato has been transformed, morphing – via some of the foremost talents in contemporary classical music – from a monumental but minimalist chamber music journey into a multifaceted symphonic epic.



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Metropolis Ensemble Internet Presence ☟
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Erik Hall Internet Presence ☟
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Sandbox Percussion Internet Presence ☟
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