Search - Ivan Naranjo, Hilda Paredes, German Romero :: Mexico: New Music for Strings

Another revelation from the Ardittis

greg taylor | Portland, Oregon United States | 07/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Some day, someone will write a history of classical music from the 1980s to the present that evaluates the impact of Irvine Arditti and his quartet on the string compositions of the period. In advance of that I am going to state the conclusion. There has been no other violinist that has been more influential in his effect on contemporary writing for the violin.

I attribute this impact to three things:

1. Arditti's superb technique (and that of his fellows in the quartet) frees many a composer to write exactly what they want to write.

2. The Ardittis work with each and every composer making sure they get it right and truly represent the composer's vision.

3. Irvine Arditti is relentlessly dedicated to the new and the current as opposed to recording another version of some 19th century warhorse. Don't get me wrong-I love that stuff but do we really need another version of the Tchaikovsky violin concerto?

One of the many projects that the quartet had carried out over the years has been a series of CDs dedicated to contemporary composers of various countries, states or cities. Obviously, this CD is dedicated to contemporary composers in Mexico. Three of the compositions, the Waller, the Romero and the Sosa are for solo violin. The Vasquez, the Naranjo and the Paredes are for the string quartet.

The Waller is a marvelous opening piece that I find riveting every time I hear it. It is based on a popular song entitled "Deja que salga la luna" which means "Just wait for the moon to rise" Waller's wordplay title "De jaque, sal, gala y luna" translates to "Of attack, salt, gala and moon". Waller describes his piece as an "exuberant distortion" of the original tune that "relies on fragmentation, texture and virtuosity as dramatic features". I have never heard the original song but Waller's composition retains a strongly melodic content at the same time that the content is challenged by his compositional techniques.

The Romero is for amplified violin, which I do not recall Arditti having recorded on before. This piece was commissioned for Arditti. The only thing I want to point out about this piece is that it may help the classical purist understand the possibilities of amplifying the instrument. It makes available to the composer and the player musical materials that are simply inaudible otherwise. Saxophone players have known this for decades. It is nice to hear someone like Arditti explore similar territory.

The Sosa involves the composer (I believe) adding an electronic voice from his laptop using "sound material" from Arditti's violin. I like this piece very much. For one thing, I think it is fascinating that Arditti is working a similar compositional idea to that used by Evan Parker or Phillip Waschmann on recent recordings. But more importantly some of the sound gestures that Sosa creates from Arditti's materials are truly odd and do manage to create a unique and disturbing sound world.

Of the string quartets, the one that I enjoy the most is the Paredes. She has worked with Arditti before and the quartet seems at home with her musical vision. She structured the quartet as a conversation between four characters in a play. Perhaps because of that, the piece has, for me, a strong visual component as well. I would love to see someone choreograph this piece.

In any case, the Ardittis have once again exposed a dazzling array of talented composers within a particular country. Once again, they have expanded the repertoire of strong string compositions in so doing. It is my sincere hope that they continue this series. I would love to see them expand it to countries that do not fall within the European orbit.

It would be nice to see a From Turkey, a From India, and a From Indonesia.

This CD is another chapter in what is arguably the most enjoyable ongoing recording project in contemporary classical music. If you are not aware of the Ardittis and their work this is a good place to start (although I recommend you look at some of the Listmania about them for other possible starting points). If you are already aware of their work then all I can say is that this CD is up to their standards.

Enjoy

"

Five Stars!

gavin | Denver, CO United States | 12/31/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The members of the Arditti Quartet are clearly, passionately, dedicated to modernist and contemporary music. While the Arditti is undoubtedly less well-known than the Kronos Quartet of San Francisco, who are also celebrated for their dedication to contemporary composers and music, the Kronos musicians are neither dedicated to Modernism nor are they anywhere near the impeccably musical performers that we find in the Arditti. I know that the movement known as "Modernism" has passed into history and is a tiny bit old-fashioned, but that doesn't take away from the many composers who still work in this rich vein. Nor does it diminish the work of the Arditti. I think that eventually, the elements and principles of Modernism will move alongside the threads of Classicism and Romanticism as one of the great characteristics of art. As we open the 21st Century, it's probably still too soon to clearly define Modernism--they're still debating Romanticism! But if you believe in knowing it when you hear it, a place to start is the recordings and performances of the Arditti Quartet.



In case you haven't guessed from the title, this disk is dedicated to Mexican composers and six of them are represented here with single works. Three of these are actually not for the string quartet, but are more-or-less solo violin pieces performed by the quartet's namesake, Irvine Arditti. I say more-or-less because one of the works is for amplified violin and another is for violin and electronics. German Romero's Ramas is the amplified work and it's a nice exploration of the sounds a violin can only make at very low volumes, assisted by amplification, and the changes that amplification brings to the sound of the fiddle while Rogelio Sosa's Espasmo fulgor takes a traditionally modernist route with seemingly orchestral electronics--a very subtle blend of drama and mystery! When I think of Modernism, I think of the contributions of Expressionism and how important they are: sudden, extreme changes in mood and character. All of the works on this disk show that to some extent, but never in a trivial, theatric manner (like weaker composers and performers may be prone to exploit). That's what I love about the Arditti. These pieces are played with sensitivity, drama, and flair. The superb sound of the team and their incredible group dynamic show a unity of ensemble that's so, so satisfying.



It's hard to believe that the Vazquez quartet is even playable in spots, the textures of interlocking sounds are so intricate at times. It also pleases with some nicely robust rhythmic passages. Hilda Paredes' Uy u'tan shapes up nicely with a tremendous soundscape of static, dissonant held notes interwoven with sudden, sweeping snippets of motion. All of the works on this disk are outstanding, with the possible exception of Juan Felipe Waller's De jaque, sal, gala y luna, which is a fairly routine violin piece that is mostly saved by Mr. Arditti's fine work. I'm filing this disk away now and won't hear it as often anymore. I'll miss it."