Contemporary Classics in Zumarraga
The Antioko Musikaldia cycle, which is held every September in the chapel of the Old Town of Zumarraga, brought us a session that aroused great interest.
It is not common to hear the formation of four saxophones. Such a programme can be a real surprise to many people. And really, the sound result of this quartet provides a sweetness and a depth that leaves no one indifferent. In addition, this group, Sigma Project Sax Quartet, is not satisfied with the performance of recurring music in all auditoriums. Its members are fully dedicated to contemporary music. They allow us to enjoy new musical approaches outside traditional programs, and that is to be welcomed. However, in the session we were offered in Zumarraga they played the current music, but to a large extent the music was known. They were guaranteed a favorable attitude towards the public.
First of all, Philip Glass’s Concerto for Saxophone Quartet offered us the group’s timbre delicacies. The four performers got a velvety sound and wrapped the audience in the minimalist and effective atmosphere of composer Glass.
In the second part of the concert, the quartet shared the stage with the pianist Mario Prisols and performed two works: the first was the endearing opening of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide opera. It is an incidental music, full of irony and freshness, skilfully performed by the quartet and pianist.
But unfortunately, to conclude, the disaster came. What was supposed to be the highlight of the program, George Gershwin’s famous Rhapsody in Blue, became a bad experience due to the pianist’s poor execution. Mario Prisols has a pretty solid career, but the truth is that Rhapsody in Blue is too much for him. It could not be adapted to the more complicated passages, where it was systematically wrong and even lost. The lack of musicality and expressiveness in the most pleasant or easy passages was evident. The musicians of the Sigma Project group tried to cover these deficiencies, but it was very difficult that they were not visible.
The last mistake was to offer as bis a part of this work in which the pianist lost control altogether. It is a pity, because saxophonists are of the first order and deserve another moratorium.
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What:
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