Full Studio 4 in Flagey, an audience younger than at a typical "classical" concert and a complete Brussels Philharmonic with some extras because after all it concerns the music of Luc Brewaeys, so: "Fasten seat belts!".
That's how you should commemorate Luc Brewaeys (1959-2015), the man who filled his life to the fullest. Plenty of atmosphere in Studio 4, not only for his music but also on the program the world premiere of Daan Janssens' violin concerto.
Brewaeys' 6th symphony, in one extended section, starts dark, low, with also that deep bass drum and other percussion until gradually the strings enter in crescendo. And those strings had to sound rounder for Brewaeys, so the violins at the back, the violas at the front on the stage. These are unheard sound waves that wash back and forth over you. It gave me the feeling I got when watching that Stephan Vanfleteren film, The Tide Will Bring You Home, about the adventurous struggle of that photographer with the storming ebb and flow of the sea. Is that Brewaeys' spectral music? A music that splatters from all sides from all instruments and with all conceivable colors, shades and overtones is hurled into the hall, incessantly and massively orchestrated, sometimes lyrical and then halfway through meeting electronics only to suddenly fall silent again? What an experience, what an abundance!
The orchestration of the Debussy preludes was once my wake-up call for the music of Brewaeys. Lighter in tone but always underlying those hints of Debussy. But again we are immersed by all these instruments in that sound bath of that "Cathédrale engloutie". You hear that cathedral going under, with each percussion roll sinking further through the ground and disappearing underwater with a final gurgle. Blurp. And his other Debussy orchestrations follow the same pattern. That second symphony is a different kettle of fish, even more percussion and all instruments engaged to lift you to higher spheres. "Komm! Hebe dich…" is the title of this work. It lasts only a quarter hour, but what creative power emanates from it.
Then Brussels Philharmonic still has to bring the world premiere of Daan Janssens' violin concerto. He already wrote a famous concerto for cello and electronics dedicated to Arne Deforce. This time a concerto commissioned by Brussels Philharmonic for violin and electronics. Violinist Samuel Nemtanu takes a gentle and quiet start, three notes on different strings, but soon he must contend with a full orchestra playing fiercely until everything falls back into the folds of the electronics. The soloist manages effortlessly to claim his place. He does that, playing legato and staccato, with "contemporary" virtuosity. A virtuosity that for now would not find favor at our Elisabeth competitions. And from beginning to end that shimmering electronics from the Centre Henri Pousseur mingles into the sound picture. With yet another masterful eruption of violin and orchestra this breathtaking concerto ends. The concerto was the discovery of the evening, worthy of Brewaeys.