WAGNER // The Ring An Orchestral Adventure
After Parrallel Tones, the Next Kristjan Järvi Sound Project CD is being launched this September. Right before the Baltic Sea Philharmonic hits off its next tour “Baltic Sea Discovery” on September 15 in Lithuania through Russia, Poland, Denmark and Germany, the CD takes the listener into Wagner´s world. A discovery of its own, to experience the different aspects and enter the magical world that Wagner felt in those Landscapes. The Ochestral Adventure is a way to experience the Ring in a new way, without voices.
STEVE REICH DUET
In celebration of Steve Reich´s 80th Birthday, the “Kristjan Järvi Sound Project” releases one of the most special collaborations Kristjan experienced the past years. During Steve Reich´s “Artist in Residence” period at the MDR in Leipzig, they created this special recordings working cloesely together. This collaboration lead to this unique double CD “Reich Duet”, which also resembles two artists who themselves became a duo on many artitic levels.
Find below the statements of the Artists:
Quote Steve Reich:
Thank you Kristjan Jarvi and the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony & Chorus for such an accurately detailed, emotionally charged double album. You Are (Variations) and Daniel Variations are two of the best pieces I have ever written and now, more listeners can hear them in extraordinarily beautiful performances. There are other great performances here as well. Take a listen.
Steve Reich
Quote Kristjan:
“Duet” is Steve Reich and Kristjan Järvi on two discs: with two pairs of hands clapping; two Violins playing; two ensembles in two pieces of Variations; two pianos; two keyboards surrounded by Four Sections of strings, percussion, woodwinds and brass celebrating Steve Reich’s 80th!
Building a numerological pyramid of sorts, 2.4.80.4.2 – As Steve said to me ” the math makes sense,” is not the only aim of this Kristjan Järvi Sound Project release, but With this 80th Birthday album we celebrate a composer who changed the course of music yes, but also a humanist and a protagonist for everything positive and good that there is and can be achieved and created by us the human race on this earth of ours: A celebration of humanity and a creation of it.
From the 60’s to now, from analogue tape looping in the pieces like “Come Out,” to phasing in “Drumming,” to hip hop and rap sampling in “City Life,” to use of Radio Head’s songs in “Radio Re-Write,” there is no one to me that is more influential and visionary in music of all genres yet hip with the times and way ahead of the curve than Steve Reich. His ceaseless creativity is far beyond “far reaching” it is mind and body altering. In fact, altering the historical application of music in proportions that people may not even realize and only a handful of people can claim. Whether you are a DJ, Rock or Pop artist, Jazz, Classical, Ambient, Electronica musician or an avant-garde modernist, or not even a musician. Steve Reich has probably had an impact. Creating music with pieces of wood, simply clapping with bare hands or complex electronics, Steve says with all of his inventions that music is an inherent part of our being, it is a movement and a motion that awakens us, gives the light to our soul and is the bond of humanity.
It is not a coincidence that the title piece “Duet” is written for Sir Yehudi Menuhin for his 80th birthday and is now part of this 80th celebration: two incredible force of nature with a thirst for diversity to create unity. Commissioned by the Gstaad Festival “Duet” connects many things for me and is another reason for this album being called “Duet.” I see piece in a way as a door into Steve’s soul which then is followed by the rest of him. It is a beautiful conversation and has all the hallmark’s of Steve; pulsation and counterpoint that takes us into an unmistakable harmonic world on a real life journey of tension, radiance, and beauty mixed with concern. As with most of Steve’s pieces hopefulness of humanity triumph in the end!
This album is a result of a three year project that started with Steve’s residency as “composer in residence”, The first ever with an orchestra, here in Leipzig with the MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2013/14 season. At that time, we premiered the orchestra-chorus versions of “Daniel” and “YouAre Variations”, of which these are the world premiere recordings, as well as performing the largest of his orchestral works “Desert Music”, “4 Sections”, and “Three Movements” with concerts in Leipzig, Dresden and Paris. The Paris concert can be seen online on MediciTV “live” from Salle Pleyel.
The first disc is of Live performances at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, the second one of Studio recordings of “Daniel” and “YouAre Variations”.
I am truly thankful to Steve for being so hands on in the post production of this album and really taking care in making sure we have the best performances possible. It was very much fun and incredible experience to do “clapping music” with you! I look forward to do it many times again. Every performance of any of your pieces is a revelation to me and probably to every performer and listener alike. Thanks for giving us your music and showing us the light!
With much admiration and love..
Kristjan