Through The Light
Albany, 2025
8/10
The composer Ketty Nez takes inspiraiton from her own family’s heritage for these 2 involved pieces, where the folk music of Central Europe and Turkey blend with Nez’s modern compositional language.
The title track begins the listen with Gabriela Díaz’s violin, Lilit Hartunian’s violin, Samuel Kelder’s viola and David Russell’s cello interacting with much warmth and precision, where Nez tips her hat towards the folk music recorded by Béla Bartók in the early 20th century, as plenty of emotion and playfulness enters.
The back half is occupied by “Fragments In 3”, where Jennifer Bill’s diverse soprano saxophone is met by Daniel Doña’s meticulous viola and Nez’s firm versus pretty key progressions. An atypical trio delivery, the 5 movements are as unpredictable as they are creative.
A highly modern and articulate chamber affair that showcases a tremendous vision, Nez and company flesh out the songs with much fluidity and care.
Travels well with: Ronn Yedidia- 24 Preludes Of Dusk & Dawn; Christopher Rouse- Concertos