'…a perverse take on the Moonlight Sonata and other familiar melodic fragments, not to mention shouted voice parts over a rock familiar beat…' Limelight Magazine
Now out on the Naxos label is Matthew Hindson's Visible Weapon for piano duo and electronics.It forms part of an all-Australian release from the Viney-Grinberg Duo taht also includes music by Percy Grainger, Robert Davidson, Andrew Ford and Colin Brumby.
 
The 10-minute work was a commission from the University of Queensland for the Viney-Grinberg Duo who premiered it in Campbelltown (NSW), Australia in 2015 and then later gave the US premiere in Austin, Texas.
'Matthew Hindson is perhaps the most familiar composer here and his Visible Weapon (the longest work, coming in at around ten and a half minutes, is typical of his style. As its title suggests, it involves crashing, dissonant cluster chords brought together with well-chosen electronics. Together with a perverse take on the Moonlight Sonata and other familiar melodic fragments, not to mention shouted voice parts over a rock familiar beat, it’s an effective statement by the composer on perceived violence within contemporary society.'
Limelight Magazine (Brett Allen-Bayes), 9 August 2021
'…confronts the constant presence of violence in our world, a response to varying brutalities and nastiness that we are continully faced with. Commissioned by the Viney-Grinberg Duo, the work employs two pianos and pre-recorded material to generate an intense and passionate outpouring. Serene, peaceful sections balance the more dramatic passages, military-type shouting evokes an image of war whilst exquisite cascades of notes remind us that beauty does exist. This is quite a demanding piece – we are not meant to sit back and relax, we will inevitably become involved in the composer’s profound disquiet. It is a tour-de-force for the two pianists and they deliver a powerful listening experience.'
LoudMouth (Gwen Bennett), 4 October 2021
'…the disc’s most extended score, the dramatic Visible Weapon from Matthew Hindson. Requested by the performers it confronts, in music, today’s violent society.'
David's Review Corner (David Denton), January 2021