Search - Ricardo Salaberria, Francisco Escudero, Juan José Mena :: Escudero: Illeta (Funeral Oratorio)

Excellent performances of an interesting work

G.D. | Norway | 08/02/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The late Francisco Escudero is one of several composers from the Basque region who have been recently promoted by various record companies (mostly Claves, but now Naxos has come along as well). His rather eclectic style, blending avant-garde elements with traditional Basque music is rather appealing and easily approachable, and the funeral oratorio Illeta, depicting the grief of a community over the death of a dear member, is - despite fact that the poem is brooding and bleak, if touching - an inventive, colorful and varied work for soloists, chorus and orchestra. Craggy, braying strings conjure the grief of the townspeople, there are tolling bells and dramatically chromatic, howling orchestral passages, all skillfully woven together in an structurally convincing whole with many atmospheric moments. The work is based around a five note theme, but incorporates traditional Gregorian chant and fragments of folk tunes.



The performance is very good, and the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra conveys a huge range of colorful textures, in addition to being (obviously) technically accomplished - especially the brass and percussion sections are impressive. The soloists are also good, in particular the baritone Salaberria, and the chorus sings their guts out, giving a charged, dramatically intense performance. Overall, this is an appealing and rewarding work, well worth acquiring."