Beyond their common subject – The Seasons – it is the colours and the musical expression that enable these two different worlds to coexist with such evident ease.
And yet who would think that the sensitive Russian style, so full of suggestion, discretion and nuance, of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Seasons (1840 – 1893) could find its echo in the silky, sensual work, the cheerful yet grave Four Seasons by Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992).
The answer lies in the transcriptions by Alexander Goedicke (1877-1957) and José Bragato (1915-2017), which work wonders. By adding instrumental and harmonic elements, they bring out the secret alchemy of the original works.
And in the precise yet generous interpretation by the Trio Bohème — and this is the first recording in Europe of Tchaikovsky’s Seasons transcribed for a Trio — one catches the dialogue, and even here and there the complicity, between the Russian and the Argentinian, both of whose lives and creations were so marked by Dance.
Listen very closely to these works ! Over the oceans and beyond time, hear what these two legendary composers are saying, in the timeless, universal language of Music :
They speak of what the soul perceives when Dance takes hold.
Ballet or Tango, it matters not ! A Pas de Deux can convey both melancholy and heart-warming emotion.
The finesse of the faithful transcribers and the communicative enthusiasm of the Trio Bohème bestow on us the gift of these sublime confidences, by which we will ever be deeply moved.
From Lev Maslovsky’s well-rounded violin that reminds one of Gidon Kremer… to Igor Kiritchenko’s cello return from very expressive and at times deeply-moving solos… Jasmina Kulaglich, the inspired and dynamic tuning peg of the Trio Bohème, with the ever-present, hypnotic and obsessive rhythm of the tango, contributing literally to capturing the audience. A find – an album that’s particularly alluring.
In this new interpretation, The Seasons of Tchaikovsky get their second wind : from the attack of the bows (February – Carnival), the timbres of the pizzicato (June – Barcarole) and the ever sorrowful cantabile of the strings (the eloquent violin of Lev Maslovsky in Autumn Song), to the lulls into which Jasmina Kulaglich’s piano narrative slides (July – Song of the Harvesters) exalting all Slavic souls… the magnificent weightlessness of Igor Kiritchenko’s cello at the centre of Piazzolla’s Autumn…The musicians’ subtle poetry, commitment and sincerity enchant. An endearing album.
Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons flow with a marvellous feeling of gentleness. Each track calls to poetry. June is played with infinite tenderness. When October arrives, the violin makes our hearts soar as we flip through the pages of the old agenda one by one… The Trio Bohème has given us its most beautiful gift : another year and not a wrinkle more.
The palpable play between the three musicians, their sensitivity and breathing draw out the richness of the transcription, magnificently articulated, and with a smooth sound… The universe of the Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla is full of passion, sensuality and hard, unexpected mood swings. The Trio Bohème controls the atmosphere perfectly. The three musicians go from vibrant swing to nostalgic cantabile, in a style that favours elegance with respect to the harsh movements, without ever releasing the tension or letting the pressure drop. The result is an airy, eloquent musical interpretation.