Reviewed 27 November 2023
A fascinating disc as two ensembles, one Western classical and one Arabic, journey through Bach's Goldberg Variations exploring what it means to play together, to base music on Bach yet synthesise with Arabic music.
Some years ago, the Syriab Trio (Abdalhade Deb, oud/singing, Ibrahim Bajo, kanun, Amjad Sukar, percussion) did a project with Ensemble Reflektor, a North German chamber orchestra that included the cellist Johann Caspar Wedell. Wedell and the men of the Syriab Trio had lots of discussions, about music and about the mens' personal stories of war and displacement. The result was a wish to work together after that project ended.
The end result is this disc, Goldberg from Solaire Records, where the combined forces of the Syriab Trio and Trio d'Iroise (Sophie Pantzier, violin, Francois Lefevre, viola, Johann Caspar Wedell, cello) explore Bach's Goldberg Variations.
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| Goldberg - Syriab Trio and Trio d'Iroise |
The two groups first came together in 2018, and their journey of exploration continued until recording in November 2022. They describe it as a journey rather than a new version, or perhaps journeys. First of all, there is the two group's journeys towards each other, exploring each other's musical cultures. First Trio d'Iroise created a string trio version of Bach's Goldberg Variations and then explored Arabic music's key system, rules for improvisation and use of quarter tones, whilst the Syrians explored the world of score reading, polyphonic lines and counting rests!
The piece itself is also a journey rather than a set approach. Things begin with just the string trio, and then Abdalhade Deb's oud comes in, followed gradually by the other Arabic instruments, and then Arabic key structures are introduced, the Maqams. These are used at first to add colour to Bach's music but then are steadily integrated so that the six performers move towards a synthesis of styles rather than simply Bach with added instruments and harmony, sometimes overlaying Arabic chants. The music is thus highly mobile, moving between the styles and instruments rather than being a single, monolithic structure.
By Variation Eight, we notice a distinct change of atmosphere as the Arabic instruments weave their way around Bach's music, then in Variation Eleven they start to explore the fascinating tension between the Western classical and Arabic tonal systems. By the end, we are in a world that isn't so much cross-over as synthesis and cross-fertilisation. The result is an exploration of what Bach might mean to three Arabic musicians, but also what Arabic music might mean to three Western classical musicians playing Bach. It is a record of those many journeys, but also a testament to the creativity and sheer fun that the players had.
Goldberg
J S Bach: Goldberg Variations
Syriab Trio (Abdalhade Deb, oud/singing, Ibrahim Bajo, kanun, Amjad Sukar, percussion)
Trio d'Iroise (Sophie Pantzier, violin, Francois Lefevre, viola, Johann Caspar Wedell, cello)
Recorded 21-24 November 2022, Adelbrinsaal, Kloster Drubeck
SOLAIRE RECORDS SOL1015 1CD [79.56]
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