Mozart Machine
In Mozart Machine, vocal canons and instrumental fugues are threaded together to form a chain which, like a virtual oratorio, tells of Wolfgang’s fortunes and states of mind. From his earliest experiments in 1764, when as a child prodigy he wrote his first fugue (KV15) in London, to his last masterpiece (KV626), which he conceived in Vienna during the final days of his life, we accompany him on his journey of fascination for the then long outmoded polyphonic style.
When Mozart became acquainted with the work of J.S. Bach, which was not until 1782, it led to a serious upheaval in his creative process. He threw himself with a fury into the composition of canons and fugues and in a very short time succeeded in masterfully integrating the archaic style into his own art.
The works played here indicate how exceptionally well this glorious composer was able to unite form and passion.
Initially it seemed that Mozart was absolutely forbidden territory for a saxophone quartet. With BL!NDMAN we sought sound combinations to render the musical structures as transparently as possible and to interpret the spirituality of his work with contemporary instruments.In the fugues the bronze-like sound of the saxophones makes reference to the organ – which Mozart considered the king of instruments – , while together with the high female voices in the canons it is reminiscent of the basset horns he loved so much. Our focused search through the mastery of his polyphonic work led us to a moving encounter with this musical genius whose death came far too early.
This anthology is the direct result of two previous recordings with the saxophone quartet: choral partitas on BL!NDMAN plays Bach and the retrospective of three centuries of the polyphonic repertoire on Multiple Voice.
Eric Sleichim: artistic direction, concept, transcriptions and arrangements
BL!NDMAN [sax]
Koen Maas: soprano saxophone
Roeland Vanhoorne: alto saxophone
Piet Rebel: tenor saxophone
Raf Minten: baritone saxophone
BL!NDMAN [vox]
Els Van Laethem: soprano
Emilie De Voght: soprano
Sarah Abrams: soprano
Wies Hermans: video
Bart Bouckaert: repetiteur
Jo Thielemans: sound technique
Ief Spincemaille: video technique
Veerle Vaes*: production management
Mozart Machine is a BL!NDMAN production, in co-production with the Concertgebouw Brugge
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Programme
W. A. Mozart / arr. & transcr. E. Sleichim:
Caro bell idol mio KV 562
Zonder titel KV 15z
Kyrie KV 89/73k
Chorale KV 620
Leck mich im Arsch KV 231/382c
Alleluia KV 553
Gigue KV 574
Lacrimoso son io KV 555
Nascoso è il mio sol KV 557
Difficile lectu mihi mars KV 559
Fuge KV 401/375e
Heiterkeit und leichtes Blut KV 507
Auf das Wohl aller Freunde KV 508
Ach! zu kurz KV 228/515b
Zwei kleine Fugen KV 154a/Anh. A61, A62
Vier Rätselkanons KV 89a II/73r
Fuge KV 394/383a
Selig, selig KV 230/382b
Ouverture KV 399/385i
Sie ist dahin KV 229/382a
Kyrie KV 626*
V’amo di core KV 348/382g
Adagio KV 410/484d
Vierstimmiger Kanon KV deest
Press
Im Wechselspiel mit den hervorragenden Sopranistinnen besorgten BL!NDMAN eine Aufführung auf dem allerhöchsten Niveau. Dieser fabelhaft austarierte, kontemplativ in sich ruhende Mozart wirkt in seiner nüchtern konzentrierten Klarheit, der spürbaren Liebe zum Detail und dem freien Klangsinn bemerkenswert ausgereift. Authentizitätsfragen stellen sich da keine mehr.
Stefan Michalzik – Frankfurter Rundschau – 19/04/06