Composer: Lars Carlsson, Marcel Chyrzynski, Atsuko Ezaki, Ewa Fabiańska-Jelińska, Artur Kroschel, Krzysztof Penderecki, Rafał Zapała
Performer: Sepia Ensemble
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Dux
Catalogue: DUX1691
Release: 2022
Size: 1.02 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
01. Ezaki: Donsu Dances
02. Chyrzynski: Betelgeuse
03. Carlsson: Vindarna växlar
04. Kroschel: Gestures
05. Zapała: Scherzo for Flute, Clarinet, Percussion, Piano, Violin & Cello
06. Penderecki: String Quartet No. 1
Fabiańska-Jelińska: Rocking Music
07. I.
08. II.
Sepia Ensemble is one of the few contemporary music ensembles in Poland. It was established in 2012 in Poznań on the initiative of Artur Kroschel and Rafał Zapała. It consists of musicians who share a special passion for performing latest music. The artists often extend acoustic sounds to include electronic means. The core of the group consists of eleven musicians/soloists performing in various configurations, from solo to large ensembles. In December 2012, the ensemble implemented two projects to celebrate the Year of Cage, which consisted of the American artist’s works. A year later, the musicians performed twice at the ‘Musicacoustica’ Electro-acoustic Music Festival in Beijing, devoting one concert to electroacoustic music and the other in tribute to Witold Lutosławski. Since 2013, the Sepia Ensemble has been the ensemble-in-residence at the Festival of Contemporary Music ‘Poznań Music Spring.’ As part of the Festival, the musicians have premiered works by recognized Polish and foreign composers, including Rafał Zapała, Artur Kroschel, Jaromir Gajewski, Chang Seok Choi, Kaveh Djodat, Arshia Samsaminia, Idin Samimi Mofakham, and Rein-hard Karger.
The album is a collection of compositions created in the last two decades, except for one by Krzysztof Penderecki, which has been around for more than half a century. However, they all speak the language of contemporary music, represented by artists from all over the world.
We launch our musical journey with Quartetto per archi no. 1 by Krzysztof Penderecki, composed at the threshold of his artistic career, which is a manifestation of sonorism in music. This technique is also referred to by the piece Rocking Music by Ewa Fabianska-Jelinska, composed almost 60 years later, influenced by, among others, rock music. The ensemble is varied and also includes brass instruments. The composition Donsu Dances by Japanese creator Atsuko Ezaki is also written for a diverse ensemble. The author suggested the piece’s programme idea in the title of the work: sophisticated, traditional Japanese fabric, which translates into the musical tissue of the work. Swedish composer Lars Carlsson (Vindarna vaxlar, or change of wind) and Marcel Chyrzynski (Betelgeuse, name of a star) revealed their inspiration with natural phenomena, more and more often present in contemporary music. Artur Kroschel described his trio for clarinet, piano and cello as Gestures, as if referring to the language of symbols, non-verbal communication, in which music expresses itself best. Rafal Zapala stayed with an unconstrained form of Scherzo, in which six instruments hold a dialogue, each of them fully expressing its sonic individuality.
All pieces are performed by Sepia Ensemble Contemporary Musicians, one of the few and leading contemporary music ensembles in Poland.