The first recording I will review for my “Reverberations” section is a CD by the saxophone duo Ogni Suono, made up of Noa Even and Phil Pierick. The CD was released in 2014 and contains 6 new works for saxophone duo (of varying instrumentation). Composers include Stephen Andrew Taylor, Ian Dicke, James Bunch, Claudio Gabriele, Halim Beere and Quinn Collins. The pieces on this CD cover a wide range of styles, techniques and complexity. Regardless, Noa and Phil perform each piece with impeccable clarity and precision. I first found out about this recording through a Kickstarter campaign, and having heard the ensemble before I immediately donated to the cause. When I received my copy in the mail I put it on and listened to the whole thing from start to finish. The production quality alone is great, but the quality of the performance by Ogni Suono is absolutely outstanding. What initially stood out to me was how young all of the pieces are. The oldest piece on the CD was written in 2009, and all pieces were commissioned by Ogni Suono. Having known Noa for some years I know that she is big supporter of new music and commissions lots of new works for solo and chamber ensembles. Noa and Phil as an ensemble have commissioned many new works for saxophone duo, but they also emphasize the importance of music education and their performance are “often accompanied by master classes.” The first paragraph of the liner notes includes the quote “whether our musical material is hocketed, layered, transparent or thick, we strive to balance our individuality as musicians with the desire for a unified blend." This concept is clearly demonstrated in all pieces, both through performances by Ogni Suono and through the unique compositional style of the composers. Each piece brings to the table an aptitude of the craft of composition and Noa and Phil bring the same degree of clarity and precision to their performance of each piece. For me, the standout piece ogni suono come un essere vivente by James Bunch. I heard this piece for the first time in Bowling Green, Ohio when Noa and Phil were performing a concert of new works in the Dorothy Uber Bryan Gallery at Bowling Green State University. I was immediately captivated by the energy and controlled nuance in their performance of each piece. Hearing this piece live was an unforgettable experience and being able to hear it captured on CD is even better. Stephen Taylor's Decohere is equally engaging with it's use of overlapping multiphonics evolving into exciting flourishes moving from the low range of the baritone to the higher tessitura of the soprano saxophone. The piece shows incredible use of the extreme difference in register in a way that is not a hinderance of the duo, but shows commanding aptitude of the instrumentation. I strongly recommend this CD to anyone who is a fan of new music and this should definitely be required listening for all saxophone students studying contemporary music at the collegiate level. For more information about Ogni Suono visit their website: http://www.ognisuono.com
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Reverberations is a catch-all page for everything that doesn't fit into a neat and tidy box of blog posts and interviews. Enjoy!
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