RootsWorld, CT
Dec 30 2006
Strumenti di Pace Live
Luca di Volo e Claudia Bombardella
Radici Music Records ()
Strumenti di Pace is built in three cycles: "Grung’s Legend," "The
Legend of Eternal Return" and "Two Days to Easter." "Grung’s" is the
story of an Armenian crane and its wanderings through time. "Eternal
Return" is based on an oriental theory whereby all events re-occur
unchanged for eternity, while "Two Days to Easter" is a reflection on
the deportation of the Jewish population from the Warsaw ghetto.
Musically, the performance revolves around di Volo’s clarinets and
sax contralto and Bombardella’s voice, baritone sax and cello. A
chorus and an orchestra support the work.
The three cycles are each quite different. The first is rather
playful and Eastern in its sound, the musical equivalent of the
bird’s flight. The second Legend is far darker in feeling and
context, taking in elements such as the hymna sung by Crusaders on
their way east, before giving way to fragments of Sufi and Armenian
poetry and music. It all feels medieval, dark and troublesome,
resigned to its fate, save for the six-minute "Shnirele Perele,"
which is rousing and triumphant before giving way to a poignant
melancholy. The last piece starts off fragmented and
pseudo-militaristic, with an extended timpani solo, then there is a
bit of theatrical prose, followed by a wild dance, some vocal solos
and a few other surprises. It is like a trip through war and loss,
through remembrance of times past and horror, and finally to
perseverance and hope. It’s beautiful and varied; a great piece of
music indicative of its subject matter.
This record is not easy listening. The material is dark, the music is
more classical than traditional and the live recording struggles to
find equilibrium between a full chorus and a single voice or a
clarinet solo. But the result will reward the listener who treats
this demanding recording with respect and care, and provide numerous
fulfilling moments. – Nondas Kitsos
Note: This live 1999 performance first appeared as a small
independent release and is now available to the world through Radici
Music.
.shtml
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
