Paraules
Noè Rodrigo Gisbert (percussion)
rec. 2022, Auditorio Manuel de Falla, Granada, Spain
IBS Classical IBS142023 [69]
Here is a stunning album for solo percussion showcasing its expressive versatility and cross-cultural language. From the archaic sound world of Xenakis’s Psappha to the African-influence of Polo Vallejo’s Tactus and the ear-catching virtuosity of Jesús Torres’s Tiento, there is plenty for listeners to enjoy.
Xenakis’s Psappha, taking its title from the Aeolic name for the Greek poet Sappho, derives musical material from the rhythmic structure of her poems. Gisbert performs the work using wooden plates, metallic squares, UPN beams, a metal can, conga, bongos, bass drum and tom-toms. This instrumentation, along with the work’s driving rhythmic ostinatos, creates an impressively and absorbingly ancient sound world. The almost primal dance which ends the piece is particularly impressive, sounding as though we are listening to a small ensemble rather than just a singular percussionist.
Sciarrino’s Il legno e la parola is a far more subtle and subdued work for solo marimba. It murmurs in small clusters of notes which the booklet relates to human phonation. This is followed by Schwarze Wolken by the Russian composer Edison Denisov which depicts dark clouds passing overhead, the rain that comes with them, in quick, droplet-like cascades, and their fading into the distance. This is all achieved beautifully with a solo vibraphone and Gisbert draws plentiful colours and shades from his instrument, providing a vivid narrative and a strong sense of musical structure.
Wooden, a composition for marimba, log drum and woodblock, by Silvia Borzelli, makes the best of their earthy, wooden timbres. Its relatively simplistic approach, often using tremolos for colour, is hugely effective and echos of tribal dance permeate the score. Tactus, by Polo Vallejo, is more obviously African in its conception, apparent straight away in its instrumentation of four congas and two bongos. The tuning too is hexatonic, making clear its inspiration. The polyrhythms are likely derived from Vallejo’s experiences as an ethnomusicologist studying the vocal polyphony of the Wagogo in Tanzania and Gisbert’s realisation of these polyrhythms is accurate and impressive, at times again giving the impression of more than a single player, even portraying a sense of community within the complex solo part.
Bruno Mantovani’s Moi, jeu…, an evocative and virtuosic score for solo marimba, explores the complete range of the instrument’s capabilities. Gisbert relishes the dynamic contrasts and his virtuosity is perfectly contrasted with his attentive subtlety and ear for detail making for an exciting as well as poetic and thoroughly musical reading. Carrying on in this dual world of virtuosity and poetry is Jesús Torres’s Tiento which sets the marimba with a vibraphone, music spilling over from one instrument to the other. Its Spanish formal inspiration is not always plainly evident in the basic musical material but there are plentiful things to admire here. Like the work before, it is tremendously effective in demonstrating all the finest aspects of Gisbert’s technique and musicianship.
Luckily this superb disc is caught in excellent sound which allows us to hear the masterful handling of the many timbres and textures demanded in these works. Of the music performed only the Xenakis and Sciarrino are likely to be familiar even to seasoned listeners, but they are all compelling, unique and insightful pieces which will please any lover of contemporary classical music.
Morgan Burroughs
Previous review: Stephen Barber (February 2024)
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Contents
Iannis Xenakis (1922-2001)
Psappha (1975)
Salvatore Sciarrino (b. 1947)
Il legno e la parola (2004)
Edison Denisov (1929-1996)
Schwarze Wolken (1984)
Silvia Borzelli (b. 1978)
Wooden (2015)
Polo Vallejo (b. 1959)
Tactus (2005-6)
Bruno Mantovani (b. 1974)
Moi, jeu… (1998)
Jesús Torres (b. 1954)
Tiento (1937)
