Aerie Trio is a Vancouver ensemble consisting of Diane Berry on flute, Nathan Jacklin on cello, and Kathryn Le Gros on piano. Water, Rock, Tree, Sky is the title of one of the pieces on this album. But the other piece on the program is more substantial: it is the Vancouver Island Suite, in eight movements, composed by the trio’s flautist, Diane Berry.
Evocative sceneries
The suite invites us to enter a series of delicate paintings, like soothing watercolours. The sounds that Diane Berry constructs are generally gentle and benevolent, reflecting the image of Vancouver Island, a kind of small paradise of greenery and nature on Canada’s West Coast. Paths leading to secluded beaches are evoked, streams, coves, a garden of wild roses, the lush and humid forest, etc. The music, tonal and very accessible without being superficial and melodically stereotyped, instills beautiful images in our minds and an openness to contemplation.
Consistent beauty
As the movements unfold, one begins to hope for more variety in textures and atmospheres. The pieces ultimately all have a similar dimension, the same brilliance, the same features, the same vital rhythm. That said, the quality of the whole is undeniable, and the impression of having entered and explored a sanctuary of peace and beauty for almost 60 minutes is strongly felt.
Water, Rock, Tree, Sky replaces the cello with the voice of soprano Marnie Setka-Mooney. The harmonies here are more chromatic, more conflicted. The sound recording of Marnie Setka-Mooney is curiously very distant, as if the singer were on an adjacent stage. The effect is unsettling. Moreover, the voice in question does not exhibit an attractive rendition of this piece.
We will certainly return to this album, but only for the beautiful Vancouver Island Suite.
