Night Birds: s'Embra on nocturnal musical discovery tour

The s'Embra ensemble, consisting of Bram Van Weverberg (accordion) and Emmanuel Tondues (cello), presents their debut album "Night Birds" on Antarctica Records. The album blends the works of Belgian composer Hans Vercauteren with those of Maurice Ravel.

The combination of accordion and cello creates a warm and tender sound palette that takes the listener on a journey through the night. The album opens and closes with Ravel's Hebrew songs, originally written for voice and piano. The introduction, "L'énigme éternelle", sets the tone with a mysterious and static character in which the accordion and cello form an intriguing interplay.

The heart of the album consists of four character pieces by Vercauteren, inspired by birds of the night. In "Black-crowned night heron" (de Kwak), threatening and mysterious sounds alternate with sharp articulations and energetic passages. "Killdeer" (Amerikaanse Plevier) surprises with a light and playful theme that transitions into a meditative interlude. "Common Loon" (de IJsduiker) is a melancholic masterpiece that begins with fragmented melodies and ends in a unique sound fusion. "Easter whip poor will and the fox" (de Nachtzwaluw en de Vos) concludes the series with limping rhythms and sharp contrasts.

The album ends with a beautiful, gripping transcription of Ravel's "Kaddisch". The cello sings continuously in the high register while the accordion supports with its full warm sound. What an exalted moment when the accordion transitions to arpeggios and the cello manages to liberate itself completely.

Vercauteren succeeds in giving voice to his rich imagination with a particularly successful balance between cello and accordion. Moreover, the transcriptions of Ravel's Hebrew songs form a logical and organic connection. The sound and interpretation of the s'Embra ensemble is excellent. After listening to this album, you may well wonder why more has not been written for this combination!