Record Reviews

HOLLAND BAROQUE / BASTARDA ~ MINNE PENTATONE 8717306260022 (Barcode: 8717306260022) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is the 6th album by Polish trio BastardaFind albums by this artist comprising of clarinetist Pawel SzamburskiFind albums by this artist, cellist Tomasz PokrzywinskiFind albums by this artist and contrabass clarinetist Michal GorczynskiFind albums by this artist, recorded with the Holland BaroqueFind albums by this artist orchestra under the artistic leadership of Judith SteenbrinkFind albums by this artist (violin) and Tineke SteenbrinkFind albums by this artist (keyboards), which comprises (on this album) of nine violinists, a keyboardist and a guest reciter. The album presents nine tracks, two of which are credited to Bastarda, four to Judith Steenbrink, one is a Georgian chant and two are by early music composers. The album’s concept was inspired by the texts of the 13th Century female poet HadewijchFind albums by this artist, who lived as a Flemish beguine in Brabant. Her exceptionally expressive love poems are a unique Medieval literary phenomenon. The music offers a superb amalgam of cross-genre aspirations, combining ideally improvisation, Medieval and Baroque musical traditions and above all reflecting a spiritual connection between the seemingly separate worlds Bastarda and the orchestra belong to, but as usual in the case of the trio’s legacy, their chameleonic ability to adopt and integrate their music with the music of other musicians / ensembles, works like a dream. The Holland Baroque orchestra manifests a remarkable open-mindedness in this collaboration, especially as far as improvisation in concerned, since this project is largely improvised in many respects, both conceptual and musical. This praiseworthy flexibility enabled the wonderful symbiosis, which characterizes this beautiful piece of music, without any artistic compromises. Overall, this is a remarkable album, full of enchanting music, which bridges effortlessly across Centuries of music and Culture, preserving respectfully the original compositions and contemporary musical approaches, all perfectly performed with elegance and a wink of stylish aesthetics. Not surprisingly, the album offers also sublime sound quality and SACD audio. Bravo!

Updated: 31/05/2024Posted: 31/05/2024

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