Musical treasures | Renaud Garcia-Fons: Entremundo

The Philharmonie team presents its musical treasures.

Martina Menichetti Education Manager
Renaud Garcia-Fons: Entremundo. Enja, 2007.

[English version below]

Wann een dem Renaud Garcia-Fons seng Musek lauschtert, fillt een sech an eng faarweg Welt transportéiert, wou verschidden Zäitperioden, Plazen a musikalesch Genren wonnerbar zesummekommen. Den Album ‹Entremundo›, deen 2004 verëffentlecht ginn ass, ass ee vu senge villen Alben, an all eenzelen ass e besonnesche musikalesche Schatz.

Wéi ech seng Musek fir d'éischt héieren hunn, war ech erstaunt doriwwer wéi hie sou vill verschidde Stiler matenee vermësche kann, a wéi vill Ausdrock hie mat sengem Instrument, dem Kontrabass, erreeche kann. Hie spillt en Instrument mat fënnef Säiten, wat also eng Säit méi huet wéi den übleche Kontrabass, an hien ass e Meeschter doranner, fir dem Instrument seng Grenzen weiderzedrécken an ze béien, andeems en zum Beispill knackeg perkussiv Kläng mat speziellen Zupf- an Sträichtechniken benotzt, virtuos iwwert déi ganz Héichten an Déiften spillt, an et souguer heiansdo wéi eng Gei klénge léisst. Vill super Museker spillen zesumme mam Garcia-Fons bei senge Kompositiounen, an all Instrument schaaft Verbindungen tëscht dem musikalesche Patrimoine vu verschiddene Kulturen, wéi déi andalusesch, latäinamerikanesch, keltesch, arabesch an indesch Traditiounen, ënner anerem.

Déi 11 Stécker vum Album kombinéiere maträissend Rhythmen mat der Flamenco Gittar a Perkussioun, schnell an energesch Melodien an Improvisatiounen, a méi roueg, méi kontemplativ Momenter. Ech fannen déi mächteg Rhythmen a Riffer vum éischten Track ‹Sueño Vivo› super, an d'Blechblosinstrumenter bréngen e flotte Big Band Goût mat eran. Als Flüttistin a Multi-Instrumentalistin hunn ech besonnesch de Sound vun der nordindescher Bansuri Flütt am Titeltrack ‹Entremundo› gären, an ‹Sareban› a ‹Mahoor› sinn zwee weider Liiblingsstécker vu mir, wou ee vill verschidden Instrumenter zesumme spillen héiert an enger kollektiver, leidenschaftlecher Feier. Dat ass d'Schéinheet vun deem wat d‘Musek ka fäerdegbréngen: et weist eis déi grouss Varietéit vu Rhythmen a Stëmmungen am Liewen, ka Brécke bauen a Verbindungen tëscht Kulturen a Kontinenter schafen.

Listening to Renaud Garcia-Fons’ music feels like being transported to a colourful world, in which many time periods, places and musical genres come together in a wonderful way. The album ‹Entremundo›, which was released in 2004, is one of his many albums; each one of them is a special musical treasure.

When I first heard his music, I was amazed by his way of blending different styles and by the expressivity he accomplishes on his instrument, the double bass. He plays a five-string instrument, which has one string more than the usual double bass, and he is a master at pushing and bending its limits, getting crunchy percussive sounds with special bowing and plucking techniques, playing in a virtuosic way all throughout its range, and even making it sound like a violin sometimes. In his compositions, many superb musicians perform with Garcia-Fons. Each instrument creates connections between the musical heritage of different cultures, like the Andalusian, Latin-American, Celtic, Arabic, and Indian traditions, among others.

The 11 tracks of the album combine rousing rhythms of flamenco guitar and percussion, fast and energetic melodies and improvisations, and calmer, more contemplative moments. I love the powerful rhythms and riffs of the first track ‹Sueño Vivo›, and the brass instruments add a nice Big Band flavour to it. As a flutist and multi-instrumentalist, I especially like the evocative sound of the North Indian bansuri flute in the title track ‹Entremundo›. ‹Sareban› and ‹Mahoor› are two other favourite tracks of mine, where you can hear lots of different instruments play together in a collective, passionate celebration. This is the beauty of what music can do: it can show the wide variety of rhythms and moods in life, build bridges and create connections between cultures and continents.