Celestial Forms And Stories
New Focus, 2022
8/10
Listen to Celestial Forms And Stories
The musical expression of a literary analysis of classic Roman retelling of Greek myths, John Aylward brings musicians from Klangforum Wien for the classical and chamber fueled creativity.
“Daedalus” starts the listen the fuses a unique chamber experience, where alto flute is met with Vera Fischer’s bass flute, Andreas Lindenbaum’s graceful cello and Sophie Schafleitner’s diverse violin for the very unpredictable delivery.
“Mercury” follows, and showcases Olivier Vivarés’ quivering clarinet and bass clarinet in the cinematic and flowing climate, while “Ephemera” pairs clarinet and cello for a very atypical and lively interplay, where both instruments gesture towards each other with awe.
“Narcissus” lands near the end, and emits a more tense mood, as Markus Deuter’s oboe, Dimitrios Polisoidis’ viola and Bjorn Wilker’s percussion contribute much to the precisely layered album highlight, and “Ananke” exits the listen with Florian Muller’s dancing piano amid the playful oboe and trio of flutes populating the short chords and low registers.
Regardless of your interest in Greek mythology, this is a fascinating listen where bowed strings, dramatic keys, and rich winds weave in and out of dramatic and intimate areas of exploration.
Travels well with: Alicia Lee- Conversations With Myself; Eric Nathan- Missing Words