"Music is peace. It transcends the boundaries of time and space, colours and race to bring restless hearts to rest, wherever they are. It is as pure and innocent as truth. […] Let us therefore remove barriers, open different musical cultures to each other, discover them and learn to enjoy a world of love and peace." — Nazir Borish
A journey around the world, across time and space, that is the starting point of this adventure. It begins during the First World War here in Belgium on a ship of the Red Star Line to the United States. After disembarkation in New York, the new music centre of the States, different musical genres and styles resound. Primarily three types of classical music ensembles become popular: orchestral music, chamber music and music for brass instruments of the wind band. The love for concert bands becomes typically American after military and so-called community bands become wildly popular since the American Civil War. Only in the first quarter of the 20th century does this ensemble develop into a fully accepted musical genre.
American wind band
Who else than "The March King" is able to represent American harmony? John Philip Sousa (1854–1932) becomes conductor of the United States Marine Band at the age of 26, which gains prestige under his leadership. Later in 1892, the American forms his own ensemble, the Sousa Band, which becomes the standard for the American concert band. Sousa composes more than 200 works for this ensemble and Naxos has recorded this collection in its entirety. Sisterhood of the States (1915, volume 21 track 2) is a fine example of his powerful, march-like and energetic style. It is a ballet that originally bore the title Hip, Hip Hooray, a highlight of American nationalism. All 48 states of that time are represented by a sextet of ballerinas and in the music each sounds a characteristic tune. Unfortunately, this unique Sousa extravaganza has not been fully preserved. The recording on this Naxos cd is the result of a reconstruction. A great deal of analytical work went into it, which is why the final result looks somewhat pale compared to other recordings in this series.
From elephant-eating snakes to flying horses
After we leave nationalistic America, we travel to the imaginative world of the Chinese zodiac. Bright Sheng (°1955) chose this programme because of its rich and universal character. Both the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Indians and Babylonians knew the zodiac. Approximately 4,000 years ago, the Chinese would also begin to believe in the twelve constellations represented by twelve animals. The first detailed description of the Chinese zodiac dates from the Han dynasty and was written by the philosopher and astronomer Wang Chong (c.27—c.97). Since then, the legends of these astrological animals have not disappeared from Chinese literature. Sheng found this fantastic fiction perfect for a musical work. In Concerto for Orchestra: Zodiac Tales (2006, rev. 2016), the god of rain, also better known as the dragon, majestically opens this six-part concerto. The arrival of this heavenly force is announced by the brass instruments and the hammering accents of the strings give the whole an almost threatening undertone. After a musical game of cat and mouse, and blissful lambs resting in the sunlight, followed by the cruelty of the serpent and a serene ceremony for Sheng's mother who was born in the year of the dog, suddenly there are flying horses that travel the sky. The journey begins calmly and builds slowly towards a heroic climax.
Oed: where cultures meet
This heavenly journey along the zodiac brings us to a transcendent bridge between different musical traditions: Arabic folk music, Indian improvisation, Andalusian dances and playful jazz influences. With the oud (a stringed instrument with a long history and the predecessor of the lute) as guide, Nazir Borish (°1982) leads us with dancing fingers on the keys through these different traditions. In the title track Root of Strings (track 2), Borish brings all these influences together eclectically in a way that musically tells the history of the oud. The basis of this composition is Arabic but Indian, Iranian and Andalusian with pseudo-flamenco rhythms soon assert themselves. Also Ali Baba Dance (track 4) is an eclectic piece with space for improvisation. More "pure" forms of traditions are the Indian Damasrose (track 6) and the Arabic numbers Missyoulogist (track 7) and 2011 (track 8). This cd is part of a series released by Centre des musiciens du monde under the editorship of Kiya Tabassian whereby other cultures can be discovered musically and thus give the possibility for more musical journeys.
With the double bass to StockHome
Back on solid ground, this journey concludes with a musical walk. Four Walks (2018) by Swedish composer Britta Byström (°1977) is part of the series Walks, which contains a total of around 20 works for different ensembles. Each of these walks leads "to a specific work by another composer," as Byström herself puts it. Back To StockHome contains three of these walks: A Walk to Schubert (2018) towards Schubert's Fifth Symphony, A Walk to Bruckner (2017) towards his Third Symphony and A Walk to Strauss (2018) towards his Don Quichot — only A Walk to Fauré is notably absent for unknown reasons. Out of silence a walking rhythm forms, along the way quotations sound that create a silhouette of the composition towards which the music walks, in Schubert and Bruckner whistling is heard along the way and at the end the music fades away as if it has walked past. They are three short compositions that function on the cd as musical walks between two concertos and a piano trio that is a reworking of Jesper Nordin's (°1972) double concerto.
From military marching in the States, past heavenly forces in China and a cultural bridge from the oud to a quiet walk through the European musical landscape, this journey around the world—through time and space, through genre and timbre—comes to an end. But as the opening quotation from Nazir Borish argued for removing barriers and being open to other musical cultures, this conclusion may serve as the beginning of a musical voyage of discovery.
Information
Sousa: Music for Wind Band Vol.21- WHO: Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Wind Orchestra conducted by Keith Brion
- WHAT: Music for Wind Band Vol.21
- LABEL: NAXOS 10526210
- ORDER: JPC
- WHO: Dan Zhu [violin], Suzhou Symphony Orchestra and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bright Sheng
- WHAT: Violin Concerto "Let Fly"
- LABEL: NAXOS 10392499
- PHOTOS: © Peter Shin
- ORDER: JPC
- WHO: Nazir Borish [oud], Roberto Occhipinti [double bass], Joseph Khoury [percussion]
- WHAT: Roots of strings
- LABEL: Analekta 10430312
- PHOTOS: © Youssef Shoufan
- ORDER: JPC
- WHO: Rick Stotijn [double bass], Malin Bromann [violin & viola], Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Gaffigan, Västeras Sinfonietta conducted by Simon Crawford-Phillips [piano track 15]
- WHAT: Back To StockHome
- LABEL: BIS 10649289
- ORDER: JPC
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