This is a remarkable disc of new and medieval repertoire for solo
recorder. Taking its title from Philippe Schoeller’s Hypnos
Linea V, the music is performed by Pierre Hamon. Schoeller’s
work is peaceful, and improvisatory in style, making a feature
of the expressive sound quality of the tenor recorder. Hamon’s
playing is full of subtle timbral inflections, giving each musical
gesture its own sense of importance within the whole.
The
traditional Armenian melody Dès le petit jour follows,
with Hamon’s bansuri accompanied by a sitar. This is one of
the most striking tracks on the album. The playing is exquisitely
phrased with a sense of natural unfolding of the melody, and
there is a meditative tranquillity which pervades the music.
Pierre
Hamon’s own Ritual 1 is an explosive and up-beat dance
style work, performed on the Kuisi femelle (‘female flute’).
This is an improvisation based on traditional Columbian themes.
Omaggio
Kogui
follows, also by Hamon, performed on a lower pitched version
of the same instrument and accompanied by the sombre tone
of a low drum. The programme notes explain that ‘this piece
is a tribute to the Kogi Amerindians who populated the Caribbean coast and withdrew to
the mountains of Columbia after the Spanish Invasion’.
Each of these pieces has a strong sense of identity, taking
on characters through the musical language and instrument
used. Ritual 2 follows, which is essentially a reprise
of Ritual 1, with a second part added for the ‘male
flute’.
Hypnos
Linea II,
a second work in the series by Philippe Schoeller, was composed
for flexible instrumentation, and this performance uses Bansuri,
recorder, viele, lute and percussion in a multi-tracked sound,
with layers building and increasing in their distortion until
the end. Some improvisations on the Shepherd Song Las Estrellas
de los cielos follow, with a beautifully simple introduction
followed by a faster rustic dance.
The
medieval works which follow fit well into Hamon’s sound-world,
with Guillaume de Machaut’s music played on a range of flutes
with the accompaniment of drum, viele (a medieval violin),
Jew’s harp and lute. The double flute is expertly demonstrated
in Bele doeette/Comment qu’à moy lontaine, which combines
an anonymous 13th century melody with a work by
Machaut. The wonderfully rhythmic Ghaetta is anonymous
14th century Italian work in a heavy ‘istanpitta’
dance style. Al Leanzig Izabel is a sorrowful Breton
song, performed beautifully on the recorder over a subtle
drone.
Mario
Lavista’s Ofrenda is an impressive work for solo tenor
recorder, which intends to explore the relationship between
the instrument and its player. Using an array of contemporary
techniques, including multiphonics, singing and playing and
pitch bends, this is a challenging work which is impressively
played here. Hamon’s expressive portrayal of the melodic lines
is particularly enjoyable, with his sound possessing a natural,
organic quality.
Hamon
is a versatile performer who creates a strong sense of atmosphere
in his playing. This disc is an enjoyable array of styles
which blend well to form an overall demonstration of both
Hamon’s playing and the instruments he uses. This is a disc
that is far from the stereotypical recorder recital; this
is a disc full of soulful melodies and a wonderful variety
of sounds.
Carla Rees
