DYENS:Concerto Metis ; Theme Felin; Concerto en Si II Serenade; 20 Lettres (Excerpt) No2 Lettre a la Seine; Saudade I; Saudade II –Chorinho; Saudade III; 20 Lettres – No.20- Lettre a Monsieur Messiaen; Tango en Skai
Enno Voorhorst with the String Soloists
Cobra Records: COBRA0066
Roland Dyens was one of the most unique guitarist/composers of the 20th Century. Known as an astonishingly different sort of a writer and player, countless pieces arranged /or written by him made it into print, and anyone who was lucky enough to hear him in concert as I was many years ago at West Dean, will know how he always played an improvisation or two, something that most classical players are very reluctant to do. He was brilliant at it, and an all-round expert on anything to do with the classical guitar, and his writing was unique. This originality and freedom can be found in all of his music for there is never a dull moment - his entire oeuvre is extremely dynamic, (and also extremely difficult for most guitarists to attempt to play!) This CD is a tribute to this unique guitarist/composer and makes it possible for every music lover to get acquainted with his passionate and compelling music. The recital begins with the title piece, the Concerto Metis, here arranged for guitar and string orchestra, set in three movements, an Allegro Rubato with an Allegretto middle section, a second movement Andante, and a final Allegro Giocoso that amount to almost 25 minutes of some of the most vibrant, interesting and unique concertos you are ever likely to hear, with very clever and memorable ideas, and some wonderful playing from the string orchestra, not to forget Enno Voorhorst, who makes it all sound very easy!
The Theme Felin has an unusual repetitive rocking motif over which the melody and the accompanying harmonies have a most unusual time, in an almost improvisatory style, very reminiscent of the sort of music Dyens would play in a recital when letting his musical mind go where his fingers led him.
The second movement from the Concerto en Si, the Serenade, is here arranged by Voorhorst for guitar and string orchestra, as the original was for a guitar solo with an ensemble of guitars accompanying. This new version is lovely, every bit as clever and original as (indeed) all of his other pieces and yet again it only goes to show how tragic his death was at the early age of only 61 back in 2016.
The two excerpts from his set of 20 Lettres, No2 and a little later in the CD No20 are just two examples of his brilliant imagination and utterly unique way of writing, modern but always approachably so.
The three Saudades, No1 very active and full of surprising details, (and a fade out ending!), No2, a Chorinho, sounding very Latin in its syncopated rhythms , and No3 , set in three movements , Rituel , Danse and Fete & Final are further examples of the way his pieces never sit still, but are always moving forward in a most excitingly different way.
The album finishes with the work most often associated with him, the Tango en Skai, originally a solo, but here arranged for guitar and string orchestra , and a wonderful arrangement it is too, completing what is a perfect CD, wonderfully played, and recoded, and full of the most diverse and satisfying music you are ever likely to find.
Chris Dumigan
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