Ce concert exceptionnel, consacré à Hector Berlioz, offrira au public l’occasion rare de vivre en direct l’enregistrement de ces deux célèbres chefs-d’œuvre. Les cloches de carillon nouvellement acquises par l’OSM ajouteront une dimension sonore unique à cet événement.
Venez partager ce moment privilégié avec l’OSM et Rafael Payare, et prenez part à une expérience artistique à la fois captivante et inoubliable!
This exceptional concert, dedicated to Hector Berlioz, will offer audiences the rare opportunity to experience live the recording of these two famous masterpieces. The OSM’s newly acquired carillon bells will add a unique sonic dimension to this event.
Come and share this special moment with the OSM and Rafael Payare, and take part in a captivating and unforgettable artistic experience!
Arab World Festival of Montreal | Narcy and Omar Offendum: Two Decades of Friendship in Artistry
by Sandra Gasana
A sword in the shape of Palestine. Here’s what catches the eye right away, in addition to the Arabian-inspired living room that decorates the National’s stage. With red-patterned cushions, a few books and some coffee, it really feels like an evening with friends, featuring art in all its forms.
First, Omar Offendum takes the stage, while Narcy sits in the living room with his guests, including two members of the iconic Montreal hip-hop group Nomadic Massive, Tali and Meryem Saci.
Under a spotlight, cane in hand (his signature), dressed in traditional attire and his black Fez hat, Offendum wields the Arabic and English languages, juggling these two worlds, sometimes mixing them. Narcy serves him coffee from time to time, exchanging anecdotes and teasing each other about Syrian and Iraqi rivalries. An excellent storyteller, he alternates between poetry, storytelling and rapping, all with incredible ease. Building on a twenty-year friendship, Narcy contributes to some of Offendum’s songs, sometimes in English, sometimes in Arabic, and vice-versa. “It’s rare to have an artist friend who still challenges you, even after 20 years,” he says, addressing Narcy. Indeed, you could feel their complicity on stage.
Omar got the room involved with his track I love you, a hymn to love, with old romantic films in the background. The transitions were sometimes rough, juxtaposing classical Arab songs with modern beats. Palestine was in the spotlight during both parts of the show, but also Lebanon, which has been in the headlines in recent weeks. We also learned about important figures in Middle Eastern history such as Nizar Qabbani, a Syrian poet, and Mahmoud Darwish, a Palestinian poet and author who passed away in 2008. He ended with his biggest hit, God is Love, which my neighbors seemed to particularly enjoy, but my favorite was Close My Eyes , a tribute to his father. “I dedicate this song to all those who have lost a loved one,” he shared with us as the video was playing in the background.
After a short intermission, Narcy took Omar’s place and took over, opening with one of his greatest hits, P.H.A.T.W.A, with Al-Jazeera footage and personal archives in the background. Dressed entirely in black leather and a white shirt, he performed other highlights of his 20-year career, including Hamdulillah, featured on the 2009 album The Narcicyst , a collaboration with Shadia Mansour. He invited a number of female collaborators on stage, those he calls “sisters” such as Meryem Saci, with whom he recorded the track 7araga, the Palestian poet Farah, who shared a poem in homage to her native land, and Tali, who opted for a poignant text for the occasion.
To close, he offered us Free, a tribute to children from the World War Free Now album , in collaboration with Ian Kamau, as well as Time, written as a tribute to his grandfather. And what better way to end than with the most recent track, Sword, the proceeds from which will go to Palestinian children. As well as having a strong sense of friendship, family is equally important to Narcy. He invited his family on stage at the end of the concert to greet the audience, inviting them to visit his Maktaba bookshop/library in Montreal’s Old Port.
Artiste nomade peulh du pays des hommes intègres, la destinée du bourlingueur Moulaye Dicko relève presque du mythe. Issu d’une lignée de quatorze enfants, il fortifie son pacte musical à la même source que les rois et reines de l’Empire du Mandé que sont Salif Keita et Oumou Sangaré. Au Mali, ces voix célestes le happe très tôt en son âme née la tradition des griots. Puis adolescent, c’est la fougue reggae ivoirienne qui s’empare de lui. En 2014, Dicko Fils devient la star des pistes de danse avec son tube « Denke Denke » entonné dans sa langue natale, le fulfulde. Abonné aux festivals internationaux, l’artiste doté d’un imaginaire théâtral collabore à la création d’univers scéniques dont le chef d’œuvre Antigone, inspiré par la figure de Mandela. Depuis 2018, la capitale new-yorkaise comme la Ville Lumière ouvrent les bras à cet Ambassadeur de la Paix burkinabé.
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Moulaye Dicko is a nomadic Fulani musician from a land of respectable men, a rolling stone whose journey is the stuff of legends. From a family of fourteen children, he upholds his musical pact to the kings and queens of the ancient Mali Empire, the same source as Salif Keita and Oumou Sangaré. While he was living in Mail, it was their divine voices bearing the griot traditions that first captured his soul. Later, as an adolescent, it was the ardour of Ivorian reggae that pulled at his heartstrings. In 2014, his single “Denke Denke,” sung in his native Fula language, quickly became a dance favourite. A regular at world festivals, Dicko Fils gives expression to his theatrical flair by collaborating in theatrical events, such as the masterpiece Antigone, inspired by the life of Nelson Mandela. Since 2018, the Big Apple, like the City of Lights, has been welcoming this Burkinabé ambassador of peace with open arms.
Le ney fut-il taillé dans le bois de roseau pour imiter le chant aimable des oiseaux? Si cette interrogation mythologique reste sans réponse, le ney est bel et bien un des plus anciens instruments encore utilisé de nos jours, avec une histoire qui remonte à au moins plus de 5000 ans dans l’ancienne Mésopotamie. De cette terre fertile, il a voyagé à travers la Perse et l’Empire ottoman, se faufilant dans les cours royales, les cénacles mystiques des derviches tourneurs, pour finalement résonner dans les traditions musicales contemporaines. C’est dans ce contexte que Ziad Chbat, maître du ney, initiera le public aux secrets de son instrument, oscillant entre exposé didactique et illustrations musicales. Glâneur de mélodies qu’il forge d’improvisations en improvisations, le musicien révélera à quel point sa flûte constitue un pont entre les âges. Aux sonorités tantôt éthérées et spirituelles, tantôt sensuelles, le ney a inspiré ses créateurs, à travers les siècles, à combiner un souffle ancestral souvent mystique aux techniques plus modernes et liées aux émotions humaines.
Gifted ney player Ziad Chbat reveals the secrets of this beautiful age-old instrument. With a history stretching back over 5,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia, this reed flute saw the rise and fall of the Persian and Ottoman empires and continues to enchant audiences to this day. With its haunting, evocative tone, the ney conjures memories of a bygone era. Don’t miss your chance to experience this fascinating instrument up close !
Ce contenu provient du Festival du monde arabe de Montréal et est adapté par PAN M 360
Second stop on Friday October 18 for the Orchestre Métropolitain on its Beethoven marathon at the Maison symphonique with Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
After a heroic introduction the day before, the next kilometer to be covered by the metropolis’ orchestra was devoted to symphonies no 6, known as “Pastorale”, and no 7, preceded by a premiere by young composer Francis Battah, already the recipient of several distinctions in Europe and Canada. His Prelude to Urban Landscapes, which opened the evening, was specifically conceived to precede the first movement of Symphony no 6. In this short piece, Battah reuses several thematic materials from the “Pastorale”, deconstructing and modifying them through complex language and writing. The use of several playing modes (arco for strings, flatterzunge for winds) lends the work a dynamic character and a strong timbral dimension. The piece ends with a ghostly string glissando, before moving straight into the first movement of the Sixth Symphony. The transition is naturally astonishing and fluid, so much so that the musical quotations, which we do not necessarily recognize immediately, but which we distinguish by the evocation of timbre, have prepared our ears for “l’Éveil d’impressions agréables en arrivant à la campagne”.
One of the most descriptive pieces in Beethoven’s symphonic catalog, Symphony no 6 is also one of the composer’s best-known works, in which it can be easy to fall into easy listening and autopilot, so familiar are its themes that they have been played and heard over and over again. Yannick doesn’t take the easy way out. Conducting the entire symphonies by heart, the conductor calls on every musician in his orchestra to sculpt meaningful phrasing and lines. After the luminous energy of the first movement, the second (“Scènes au bord du ruisseau”) plunged the audience into a soothing, restful state with ethereal sonorities. The third movement exuded a genuine village festive spirit, with the winds standing out overall, despite a few minor inaccuracies. After the festivities, thunder is heard in the fourth movement, heralding the storm. A storm that YNZ gently initiates, as if in the distance, before building in intensity to the point of eruption. With careful control of dynamics, the pastoral song that follows concluded the symphony with serenity.
The second part of the concert, dedicated to the Seventh Symphony, offered a contrast in its bright, rhythmic and vital character. The first movement was regal in character, with a tempo that Nézet-Séguin deployed with elegance. Magisterial was the transition from attacca to the famous second movement, a dramatic funeral march, in which everything, from dynamics to nuances, was just right and balanced. The exposition of the movement architecture was finely constructed by the conductor, in particular by highlighting the interaction between the violin and viola lines. The third and fourth movements, marked Presto and Allegro con brio, were a fantastic, breathless ride in which the rider Nézet-Séguin had great fun, almost dancing on the podium, infusing the various sections of the orchestra with a festive, captivating vitality. This performance was the highlight of the evening. At the end of the run, the orchestra received long applause from a relatively large, jubilant audience.
Addressing the crowd, Yannick Nézet-Séguin issued this invitation: “Sunday, 11am. Tell your friends!” The invitation is made. And we’ll be there for the rest of the tour.
Céu, which means “Sky” in Portuguese, arrived on stage dressed all in black, with a necklace to match her dress, long black lace-up boots and a flower tattooed on her shoulder. Her stage presence was remarkable, as she alternated between dance steps and simplistic choreography.
Accompanied by her bassist Lucas Martins, who has been with her since the very beginning, Thomas Harres on drums, Leonardo Caribe Mendes on guitar and cavaquinho and Sthe Araujo, a talented percussionist, the singer transported us into her particular universe, in which she mixes soul, funk, jazz and Brazilian rhythms such as samba, always with a retro background, her signature. In fact, all her musicians are also backing singers, enriching the show.
She mainly shared songs from her most recent album Novela released this year but added hits from her other albums, such as Malemolencia, from the album Céu.
“I’d have loved to speak French with you, but I’m going to go with English,” she tells us from the outset, as several Brazilians in the room shout ”In Portuguese!”
My favorite song is Gerando Na Alta, which she sings as a duet with the Senegalese-born French artist anaiis, but which percussionist Sthe interpreted perfectly in her place. In this song, Céu speaks of the importance of celebrating friendship between women, while the word Novela, taken from the word telenovela, addresses the dramatic aspect of our lives. Some songs had no transition, while she interacted with the audience at other times. She takes the time to showcase her musicians in turn, as she does with Sthe, for example, before the song Lenda, from the album Céu, which opens with percussion.
Much to my delight, we were treated to a reggae sequence, with High na Cachu followed by Cangote from the Vagarosa album. Of course, we couldn’t end the concert without a few covers of Brazilian classics. And for this, she chose two legends: João Gilberto with Bim Bom, and Caetano Veloso with Pardo, both from Bahia.
The highlight of the evening was the encore with Bob Marley’s Concrete Jungle, which she performed beautifully with Haitian singer Paul Beaubrun, who opened the concert. The latter was introduced by his father, the great singer of the group Boukman Eksperyans. “When I saw Paul sing, I said to myself that he had to sing this song with me”, Céu confided. Indeed, Paul seems to be a great fan of Bob Marley, as during the first part he played three songs by the Jamaican icon, always taking care to add his own special touch. However, I would have liked to discover other original compositions such as Noyé, which opened the show.
Véritable égérie acadienne, la grande Édith Butler dont la présentation n’est plus à faire, nous invite à faire Le Tour du Grand Bois, référence à son plus récent album du même nom duquel Lisa LeBlanc a assuré la réalisation. Après 50 ans de carrière, celle qui a fait connaître Paquetville bien au-delà de nos frontières demeure tout aussi inspirée, enthousiaste et énergique. Très peu présente sur les scènes montréalaises depuis quelques années, c’est accompagnée de trois musiciens et du pep dans l’soulier qu’elle nous convie au Théâtre Outremont pour une balade au cœur de son répertoire.
A true Acadian muse, the great Édith Butler, whose name no longer needs introduction, invites us to take Le Tour du Grand Bois, a reference to her most recent album of the same name, produced by Lisa LeBlanc. After a career spanning 50 years, the singer who put Paquetville on the map far beyond our borders remains as inspired, enthusiastic and energetic as ever. Rarely seen on Montreal stages in recent years, she invites us to the Théâtre Outremont for a stroll through her repertoire, accompanied by three musicians and some pep in her step.
Malasartes : Amichai Ben Shalev, bandonéon solo + RadioTango présente Gran Bailongo Gran
by Rédaction PAN M 360
Amichai Ben Shalev, bandonéon solo (20h30)
Amichai est un artiste sensible et captivant, doté d’une technique remarquable, d’un contrôle exceptionnel du souffle et d’une perspicacité interprétative. Il comprend le caractère de chaque composition qu’il interprète et utilise les variations tonales appropriées ainsi qu’une stabilité rythmique parfaite. En plus de sa superbe prestation, il est capable d’apporter des explications et des éclairages sur les œuvres, ainsi que sur la construction technique et les défis de l’instrument. Son savoir, combiné à son immense talent, est rare et ne doit pas être manqué si l’occasion se présente.
Amichai is a sensitive and captivating artist, endowed with remarkable technique, exceptional breath control and interpretive insight. He understands the character of each composition he performs, using appropriate tonal variations and perfect rhythmic stability. In addition to his superb performance, he is able to provide explanations and insights into the works, as well as the technical construction and challenges of the instrument. His knowledge, combined with his immense talent, is rare and should not be missed if the opportunity arises.
RadioTango présente Gran Bailongo Gran(21h45)
C’est le grand bal de clôture de cette Série 2024! Depuis 2010, RadioTango promène son tango des nuits de danse aux scènes des festivals du Québec. L’ensemble s’inspire du répertoire des grands orchestres des années 30, 40 et 50, considérées comme l’âge d’or du tango argentin. Pour l’occasion, la Sala Rossa deviendra un ballroom à l’ancienne. Les contacts établis avec des « milongas », écoles de Tango-danse, de Montréal, Laval et la Rive Sud nous assurent une forte affluence de danseurs de cette « tristesse qui se danse » et dont Montréal est la capitale nord-américaine.
It’s the grand finale of the 2024 Series! Since 2010, RadioTango has been taking its tango from dance nights to festival stages across Quebec. The ensemble draws its inspiration from the repertoire of the great orchestras of the 30s, 40s and 50s, considered the golden age of Argentine tango. For the occasion, the Sala Rossa becomes an old-fashioned ballroom. Contacts established with “milongas”, or tango-dance schools, in Montreal, Laval and the South Shore ensure a strong influx of dancers of this “sadness that dances”, of which Montreal is the North American capital.
Coup de coeur francophone : Cléa Vincent et Félix Dyotte
by Rédaction PAN M 360
Cléa Vincent
Porte-étendard de la renaissance de la scène french pop, l’autrice-compositrice-interprète française se démarque par des textes francs et inspirés, des mélodies accrocheuses et une esthétique néoromantique originale. Avec les musiciens Baptiste Dosdat (basse) et Raphaël Thyss (trompette), elle présente sa musique qui a déjà parcouru les quatre coins du monde, dont les pièces de son plus récent album, paru cette année, Advitam Æternamour. Pour une soirée dansante et sensuelle.
A standard-bearer for the rebirth of the French pop scene, the French singer-songwriter stands out for her frank, inspired lyrics, catchy melodies and original neo-romantic aesthetic. With musicians Baptiste Dosdat (bass) and Raphaël Thyss (trumpet), she presents music that has already travelled the four corners of the globe, including tracks from her most recent album, released this year, Advitam Æternamour. A sensual evening of dancing.
Félix Dyotte
Connu notamment pour ses nombreuses collaborations en tant que parolier, réalisateur et arrangeur auprès d’artistes dont Pierre Lapointe, Jean Leloup et Evelyne Brochu, l’auteur-compositeur-interprète lançait en mai dernier un tout nouvel album intitulé Aérosol. Un voyage sonore tout en finesse et en déploiement où se côtoient envolées lyriques et arrangements épiques. D’un timbre grave, il livre des chansons dont la poésie fait preuve d’une profonde et charmante sensibilité.
Known for his many collaborations as lyricist, producer and arranger with artists including Pierre Lapointe, Jean Leloup and Evelyne Brochu, last May the singer-songwriter launched a brand new album entitled Aérosol. A sonic voyage of finesse and unfolding, it combines lyrical flights of fancy with epic arrangements. With a deep timbre, he delivers songs whose poetry is deeply and charmingly sensitive.
Les Violons du Roy | Emotions and Pleasure with a Sharp Voice for Bach
by Alexandre Villemaire
Audiences packed Salle Bourgie on Friday, October 11 to attend Les Violons du Roy’s concert, the first of the ensemble’s 2024-2025 season in the metropolis, which marks the start of its 40th anniversary celebrations.
In their introductory remarks, both Caroline Louis and Olivier Godin, the directors of Salle Bourgie, underlined the important contribution made by the ensemble, and recalled the long partnership between the venue and Les Violons du Roy, notably through the performance of the complete Bach cantatas, which has occupied their respective programs for the past eight years, and provided some very intense musical moments. In fact, the evening’s program included a small nod to this. Bernard Labadie, founder and musical director of the chamber orchestra from 1984 to 2014, also addressed the audience, highlighting the wild adventure and “little miracle” that is Les Violons du Roy. The conductor also thanked one of the founding members, violinist Nicole Trotier, who was retiring after this concert, which will conclude with another performance at the Palais Montcalm on October 12. The stage was thus set for an evening rich in emotion and pleasure. And that’s exactly the spirit in which the musicians of Les Violons du Roy gave this concert.
Divided into two parts, each was introduced by a Handel concerto grosso. Performed with energy and vivacity, these interpretations of instrumental concertante works, in addition to demonstrating the musicians’ playing and the orchestra’s palette of sound colors, served as preludes to Bach’s two cantatas for viola, featuring British countertenor Hugh Cutting. An alumnus of St. John’s College, Cambridge, the young opera artist is the first countertenor to win both the Kathleen Ferrier Award (2021) and the title of BBC New Generation Artist (2022 to 2024). One of the challenges of a voice like Cutting’s lies in projection, and it’s fair to say that on this level, the young singer particularly stands out with great vocal power, controlled and complementing the amplitude of the orchestra’s sound.
He is particularly noted for the clarity of his performances. His German pronunciation is precise, and the musical and textual discourse he weaves is limpid. His vocal agility came to the fore in the second aria of the cantata GeistundSeelewirdverwirret [Spirit and soul are confused]. The aria “Gotte hat alles wohlgemacht” [God has made everything perfect] features a dialogue between organ and voice, supported by continuo. The vocal line competes with high-flying vocalizations that Cutting delivers with a heartfelt and admirable performance, but where one sometimes felt that he came to the end of his phrases slightly at the end of his aria, giving the impression that the phrase is incomplete and overshadowing the finales of certain words. The projection of surtitles at the back of the stage compensated for these slight imperfections, which on the whole never detracted from the meaning of the performance. Mélissande McNabney’s organ playing is also to be commended for the dexterity of her interpretation in lines just as exalted as those interpreted by Cutting.
With its serene, pastoral character, the second cantata of the evening, VergnüteRuh, beliebteSeelenlust [Blessed peace, beloved bliss], showcased Hugh Cutting’s hushed, crystalline timbre. A particularly expressive moment, the aria “Wie jammern mich doch die verkehrten Herzen” [How I pity these rogue hearts] is a sparse dialogue devoid of any basso continuo, in which the string instruments (violins 1-2 and viola) play in unison with the voice and a two-manual organ. As Bourgie does not own such an instrument, two positive organs were required on stage for this piece. Played by Mélissande McNabney and Tom Annand, this distinct keyboard interplay highlighted the intertwining of vocal and instrumental lines, petrified of tense chords, accentuating the air’s plaintive, afflictive character.
Les Violons du Roy and Bernard Labadie found in this young British man the ideal Bach voice for their program. Hugh Cutting made an impressive debut, full of emotion, clarity and refinement, which the audience in Salle Bourgie returned with a long ovation.
FLUX | Architek Percussion: Great music, cursed technology!
by Frédéric Cardin
Last night marked the final concert of the new FLUX festival, in Montreal. On the program were two works by the unjustly forgotten genius of Minimalism/Post-Minimalism, Julius Eastman, and Angel’s Share by young composer Andrea Young.
Julius Eastman was a black and queer composer born in 1940, unable to find a permanent place in the art world of the 1970s-1980s. The contemporary classical world was still not easily accessible to non-white artists, and his sexual identity was fraught with stubborn prejudice, especially during the AIDS pandemic. Imagine he died abandoned, penniless, homeless. It took nine months for the music world to notice his disappearance! And yet, what a vision! At a time when it wasn’t really being done, he dared to fuse the principles of repetitive minimalism with modern harmonies and techniques linked to avant-garde and experimental music, as well as jazz and pop. He was a pianist, singer and dancer. If you listen to Peter Maxwell Davies’ Eight Songs for a Mad King on the Nonesuch label, the voice of the Mad King, it’s him. His personal activism in affirming his black and gay intersectional identity is an avant-garde struggle.
Several of his compositions bear unmistakable titles, such as Gay Guerilla (heard yesterday, I’ll come back to that) or Nigger Faggot. In this sense, if his creative talent was appreciated, his identity struggle earned him a lot of misunderstanding and closure. In the end, he sank into substance abuse and homelessness, unable to find enough professional contracts to live on. His run ended in 1990.
Eastman’s repetitive Minimalism contains elements readily associated with today’s Post-Minimalism. Over continuous pulses, Eastman develops chromatic melodic coverings, sometimes verging on atonalism. A fusion of Reich and Boulez (I’m caricaturing, but you get the idea) that was totally unique at the time, and still rarely encountered today.
Two works by Eastman were on the program. Let’s start with the disappointment (in part only): The Holy Presence of Joan D’Arc. I was eagerly awaiting the performance of this powerful piece for 10 cellos, built on an irremediable, raging pulse, over which Eastman draws melodic lines that do, indeed, veer towards atonalism. There weren’t 10 cellists on stage. Instead, what we were offered was the performance of Toronto’s solo cellist, Amahl Arulanandam, recorded in multi-track and video multiplans, all projected on screen. Well, the impression of watching a YouTube video with a bunch of other people crossed my mind, but it has to be said that from the very first notes, Arulanandam is impressive, and the video editing dynamic enough to make the whole thing quite captivating (especially thanks to the music, of course!. A true masterpiece of emotional intensity). I was getting sucked into the visceral narrative of the piece, all was going well, when the floor collapsed. Not literally, but technologically. The video started to “drag”, like when you’re watching a movie or playing a game on a laptop/PC and the network doesn’t provide the necessary feed. Fortunately, the sound remained crystal-clear, but the image/music relationship that had initially grabbed me was becoming jerky. I spent the rest of the time (oh, two-thirds of the piece) waiting for “it to come back”, frustrated, boiling with the desire to throw the evil laptop on a wall (you’ve felt that before, haven’t you?). I could have just closed my eyes, you’re right. But I couldn’t anymore. The damage had been done. Was it the same for the other spectators? I’m not sure. But I’m certain that the effect initially intended by this program entry piece was not achieved. The faint applause seems to bear this out. It’s such a shame.
For an excellent performance of this work : Montreal’s Novarumori ensemble conducted by Isak Goldschneider at Suoni per il popolo festival 2017
I’m not the type to forget the forest and look only at the dead tree. That kind of jinx happens. And then, Eastman’s music remained heard throughout, and confirmed to me what a masterpiece he wrote with The Holy Presence of Joan D’Arc (a lost score, and reconstructed by ear from a recording). I’ll make this request to the organizers though: please offer us this piece again in the not-too-distant future, with ten flesh-and-blood cellists, so we can give it another chance, which it fully deserves, and so we can have a proper ecstatic time. Thanks.
The program followed with a piece for percussion quartet by Andrea Young from Montreal. Angel’s Share is a synesthetic exploration. That is, it seeks to combine affects associated with one sense with those of another. Here, the music in three movements is inspired by the rich, complex aromas of as many quality Scotches, three rare single malt whiskies from Scotland’s Ardbeg distillery. Without said aromas at our disposal (what a great option that would have been!), it’s impossible to fully account for the success or not of the adventure. Even if this is not the intention, and the composer wished to make this a strictly aural experience, curiosity gets the better of us, and we do feel as if we’re missing something. All the more so as the three movements of this very fine music, constructed like a fragile abstract lace, seem rather interchangeable. That’s the danger of this kind of proposal: you can’t evoke synesthesia and leave the spectator with only one half of the sensory equation. Be that as it may, Angel’s Share is a beautifully crafted, ethereal composition filled with fine textural touches, such as the presence of two musical saws.
The final piece brought Julius Eastman back to the fore with Gay Guerilla for percussion quartet and two pianos. One immediately thinks of Steve Reich and Music for 18 Musicians! There are many similarities between the two pieces, but we soon notice the fundamental difference in the harmonies used by one and the other. Reich’s harmonies are open, tonally full. Eastman’s harmonies are tight, chromatic, but never slipping into atonalism, as in The Holy Presence of Joan D’Arc . Gay Guerilla, despite its title, is ultimately an “easier” piece than the other, but its boundless energy and rising and falling dynamic tides create a narrative discourse that captivates and holds the attention of the most demanding listener. Highly enjoyable and, once again, an immense gem of Minimalism that deserves to be played more often.
The musicians’ performance was generally very good, even if here and there I detected a few discrepancies in rhythmic synchronization in the more linear and grouped episodes. But I quibble.
This last concert of a new festival was filled with great music and leaves us eager for another edition next year.
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