Sequenze: Sequenza X for trumpet in C and piano resonance
Track Listings (4) - Disc #3
Sequenze: Sequenza XI for guitar
Sequenze: Sequenza XII for bassoon
Sequenze: Sequenza XIII for accordion
Sequenze: Sequenza IXb for alto saxophone
Luciano Berio has always looked at his Sequenzas as building blocks among his other compositions. These solo works, sometimes written for specific performers, exist as elements of other, larger works or as platforms upon w... more »hich he's built extensive structures. This three-CD set is the first to collect all Berio's Sequenzas, and the performances are peerless. Berio's writing is, of course, unconventional, feeding off serialism and making complexity sound friendly. Sophie Cherrer's leaping flute on Sequenza I (1958) finds dozens of ways not to shriek, as does Gabrielle Cassone's Sequenza X for trumpet. There are two world-premiere recordings: Pascal Gallois's Sequenza XII for bassoon and Teodoro Anzellotti's Sequenza XIII for accordion (both 1995). Here Anzellotti conjures his playful 1998 recording, Satie on Accordion. Berio envisions these works as suggestive of polyphony in their architecture and impact, which is to say that the aggressive juxtapositions within a solo work fool the ear into believing that the soloist is a small ensemble. The melodies get multiplied, from initial statements into transfigurations and harmonic variations, making the pieces at once tremendously complex and demanding but also totally inviting. The constancy of these 13 works is evidenced by two of the harmonically richest performances, Benny Sluchin's Sequenza V for trombone (1965, originally composed for Stuart Dempster) and Eliot Fisk's Sequenza XI for guitar (1987-88). The dialogue between density and pinpoint nodes remains a thematic constant, rendered almost in parallel on the various instruments. This is a dynamic, vital document of 20th-century music, one that shouldn't be missed. --Andrew Bartlett« less
Luciano Berio has always looked at his Sequenzas as building blocks among his other compositions. These solo works, sometimes written for specific performers, exist as elements of other, larger works or as platforms upon which he's built extensive structures. This three-CD set is the first to collect all Berio's Sequenzas, and the performances are peerless. Berio's writing is, of course, unconventional, feeding off serialism and making complexity sound friendly. Sophie Cherrer's leaping flute on Sequenza I (1958) finds dozens of ways not to shriek, as does Gabrielle Cassone's Sequenza X for trumpet. There are two world-premiere recordings: Pascal Gallois's Sequenza XII for bassoon and Teodoro Anzellotti's Sequenza XIII for accordion (both 1995). Here Anzellotti conjures his playful 1998 recording, Satie on Accordion. Berio envisions these works as suggestive of polyphony in their architecture and impact, which is to say that the aggressive juxtapositions within a solo work fool the ear into believing that the soloist is a small ensemble. The melodies get multiplied, from initial statements into transfigurations and harmonic variations, making the pieces at once tremendously complex and demanding but also totally inviting. The constancy of these 13 works is evidenced by two of the harmonically richest performances, Benny Sluchin's Sequenza V for trombone (1965, originally composed for Stuart Dempster) and Eliot Fisk's Sequenza XI for guitar (1987-88). The dialogue between density and pinpoint nodes remains a thematic constant, rendered almost in parallel on the various instruments. This is a dynamic, vital document of 20th-century music, one that shouldn't be missed. --Andrew Bartlett
CD Reviews
Great collection of hard-to-find music
Rob Elliott | Houston, TX | 11/24/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"These works are difficult to collect individually, and this was the first recording of Sequenza XII for Bassoon and Sequenza XIII for Accordion.Unfortunately, Sequenza VIIb for Soprano Saxophone (1993) was omitted. It is available on BIS CD-640 "The Solitary Saxophone" by Claude Delangle.I prefer Christian Lindberg's renditions of Sequenza V for Trombone, as found on BIS CD-258 "The Virtuoso Trombone" and CD-388 "The Solitary Trombone (they're different performances). He has perfected the playing-while-singing multiphonic effect, using it on several other pieces like Sandstrom's "Motorbike Concerto.""
Great.
upabovebuildings.blogspot.com | Poughkeepsie, NY | 07/25/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Written between 1958 and 1995, the Sequenzas are a kind of encyclopedia of 20th Century instrumental writing; Berio uses every kind of extended technique imaginable to produce a wide range of colors and textures. He obviously knows these instruments inside and out, writing works of great complexity and intricacy that also remain natural to their respective instruments. This does not mean that he does not challenge the prevailing notion of what is "natural." In his notes for the Sequenza II for Harp, Berio complains that "French 'impressionism' has left us with a rather limited vision of the harp, as if its most obvious characteristic were that of lending itself to the attentions of loosely robed girls with long blonde tresses, capable of drawing from it nothing more than seductive glissandi. But the harp also has another harder, stronger, more aggresive face." It must be said that Berio tends to illuminate the "aggresive face" of many of the instruments. The Sequenzas for violin and viola in particular dispell the notion that the most natural thing for them is to imitate the voice. Berio has a more unique vision of the instruments' capabilities.
The Ensemble InterContemporain is the creme de la creme of modern music groups. Listening to Christopher Desjardins shred in the Sequenza VI for Viola is particularly satisfying. He plays with as much passion as he does skill, bringing out the jarring shifts in mood suggested by the Edoardo Sanguinetti verse that accomanpanies the work: "my capricious fury was once your livid calm / my song will be your very slow silence." His is of course only one of many virtuoso performances in the set. The discs on the whole make a strong case for the composer, and, more generally, for the cause of modern music.
...from upabovebuildings.com"
ABC's of the avant-garde finally under one roof
Christopher Culver | 04/04/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Berio's "Sequenzas" are like initiation rites into the avant-garde, if you can't or don't want to play them you can't get in. And Boulez's people in Paris the current Mecca of the avant-garde you couldn't assemble a more formidable cadre of devoted committed interpreters who live this music everyday. If you have lived with these works over the past thirty years you begin to pick your favorites. I always thought Berio indeed was super heroic in writing for the relatively burdened trombone. He untapped the hidden secrets of the trombone, and I think that was his ultimate creative path, to untap textures and timbres heretofore closed off from the world. Like opening a sealed Egyptian tomb. The voice Sequenza continues to be the tour de force, with fast velocity quips babbles,gags and yes! singing all mixed in a free anarchistic montage of a non-verbal non-narrative. Less the piano sequenza,seems filler time and uninspired and the oboe Sequenza with the persistent drone is flat. You are cheating Luciano by introducing extramusical items. The trumpet Sequenza does utilized the overtones of the piano. The trumpet attacks and excites its tone and the high energy of the trumpet is always good. But again we are getting away from the script here Luciano. These were to be unaccompanied solos invloved with the compostional problematics of writing for a solo instrument. There are also interpretive problems here like in the Alto Sax Sequenza. I've heard it played flatly and clumsily, but here there is just the right amount of wistfull energy. I don't think there is ever enough energy with any of the Saxes. The Harp is also well crafted and you feel you've been on a voyage and Bravo Luciano! for creating a new harp language done so well, with harmonics and tremoli. Harp is a dangerous instrument to write for, its heavenly like dimensions will throw you out of its hidden treasures. Lastly Teodoro Anzellotti is an inspired Accordeon performer in Europe today and he will amaze you at his internal seductive sensitivity. This is the ABC's of the avant-garde and no self-respecting new music performing home should be without this collection"
Incredible recordings of great works of the 20th century.
Rob Elliott | 08/22/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This recording marks a triumphant feat in recording history. These works for solo instruments are recorded by some of the persons to whom they were written. Ensemble InterContemporain has some of the best musicians of avant guard music in the world. These works display extended instrumental techniques that have shaped the course of 20th century music by all other composers in the same school. My hope is that Ensemble InterContemporain will record the companion works such as the Chemins series and Corale and the other works that are based on some of these works (Berio uses the Sequenzas as solo material with various instruments added to the soundscape which he calls adding layers to the onion.) This CD set is a must have for all who love contempoary music or want a good jumping off point atart enjoying this great music."
Stunning displays of virtuosity and harmonic development in
Christopher Culver | 07/05/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've had this 3-disc of Luciano Berio's Sequenzas performed by the soloists of the Ensemble Intercontemporain for a few years, but only now do I feel that I can review it. Berio's long series of instrumental pieces, the first 13 of which are present on this 1998 box set, are incredibly diverse and each a whole world unto itself, so it takes a while to truly appreciate this recording. Certainly the Berio neophyte would do best to start with a popular work like the "Sinfonia" (available on an excellent DG disc), but for those who enjoy his highly individual blend of Darmstadt modernism and constant reference to tradition, the Sequenzas are a major acheivement well worth getting to know.
All of the Sequenzas explore the extended techniques of their respective instruments. "Sequenza II" for harp goes beyond the late Romantic trend of writing just glissandi and has the performer producing percussive sounds on the body of the instrument. Perhaps the most unusual extended technique is "Sequenza X" for trumpet, where the performer directs his instrument into the body of a piano, producing sympathetic vibrations on its strings. Some of the virtuosity on display makes the performer seem godlike. In "Sequenza XII" for bassoon, the player must use circular breathing for its entire 18-minute span except for one quarter-note rest. "Sequenza VI" for viola consists of furious tremolo multistops requiring Paganini-like skills.
In terms of their music material, the Sequenzas are quite varied. Some of them tend to focus on one general idea. In "Sequenza VI" for viola, the soloist gradually elaborates on the same basic harmonic fields, with little snippets of melody appearing here and there and ultimately winning out in the end. "Sequenza VII" for oboe is a series of variations around one central note, held by "any other instrument" offstage. Others, however, have strong dramatical force. Berio was inspired to write "Sequenza V" for trombone by his memories of a great clown, and this piece has the soloist bumbling around in an amusing fashion. "Sequenza III" for soprano references everything from bel canto opera to jazz singing to absent-minded murmuring (and there are elaborate acting directions for live performance). "Sequenza XI" for guitar has a furious central section exploring the whole history of guitar repertoire before flowing into a calm ending.
Sure, not everything here is bound to please. I myself have never really taken to "Sequenza IV" for piano, and the first two Sequenzas, for flute and harp respectively, seem to be to lack the focus and energy of the rest of the set. Nonetheless, they generally rise above empty master class studies of instrumental performance to gripping music.
The Sequenzas formed the starting points for several ensemble works, such as the Chemins series and "Corale". If you like the Sequenzas, it's fascinating to see Berio reuse the soloist line while the orchestral accompaniment builds on top of it. Several of these extended works can be had on a budget Sony disc, where Pierre Boulez leads the Ensemble Intercontemporain with many of the same musicians as here.
There are two other recent recordings of the Sequenzas, and they both contain the entire set of Sequenzas as opposed to the 13 here. The Naxos release may seem attractive for that greater inclusion and its budget price, but it cannot compete with the caliber of performers and the IRCAM sound quality of this DG set. I've not yet heard the Mode box, but it does seem appealing for the performers present, the inclusion of the final Sequenza XIV for cello, and the presence of solo works outside the Sequenzas series."
Track Listings (6) - Disc #1