Argento Plays Le Marteau Sans Maitre

Description:
Argento Chamber Ensemble performs cutting-edge works, which confront important issues in contemporary western music. Our inspiration comes from composers whose imaginations have led them to explore new modes of musical expression and communication. The ever-growing access to the music of non-western cultures, as well as ground-breaking advances in electro-acoustic music, enliven the sound world of many contemporary works. At the same time, other composers are energizing the musical experience through diverse approaches, such as multi-media collaboration or the deconstruction of traditional instruments and styles. The primary purpose of the concert is to perform Pierre Boulez's 45 minute Marteau Sans Maitre, for female voice, flute, viola, guitar, and three percussionists. In this masterpiece, Boulez explores western instruments in a manner that mirrors non-western instruments. He explained that the guitar is like a koto, the flute is like a shakuhachi, and the wooden percussion instruments are like African drums. The work is a real spectacle to watch: the singer really 'tells stories' with Mallarme's poetry, and her movements are interrupted by exotic instrumental intermezzi, particularly featuring a trio of mallet instruments: the vibraphone, marimba, and xylorimba. The piece is also one of the most acrobatic works for the conductor. To open the program, Argento will perform a work for viola, trombone, and percussion by young American composer Michael Klingbeil, entitled Ce Cours de Sable Qui Glisse, which compliments Marteau in instrumentation as well as dramatic content: the work is based on Samuel Beckett's poetry.

Interview with Michel Galante: On the underlying theme to the concert. On potential challenges in preparing for the program. On other interesting facts about the program.

Program:
Michael Klingbeil
Ce Cours de Sable Qui Glisse

Pierre Boulez
Le Marteau Sans Maitre

Performers:
Elizabeth Janzen, flute
Chris Mannigan, saxophone
Elizabeth Brown, shakuhachi
Masayo Ishigure, koto
Stephanie Griffin, viola
Oren Fader, guitar
Matt Ward, percussion
Ian Antonio, percussion
Alex Lipowski, percussion
Michel Galante, conductor