Speira

Kristina Kuusisto · Mari Mäntylä · Duo Dryades · Vincent Bouchot

2010 · ABCD 299

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Credits

Performers: Kristina Kuusisto — BandoneonMari Mäntylä — DecacordeDuo Dryades
Composers: Vincent BouchotSid HilleIiris KosonenPekka JalkanenHarri Wessman

About this release

Music composed for bandoneon and decacorde

The new Speira album by Kristina Kuusisto (bandoneon) and Mari Mäntylä (decacorde) features five works, all of which are new music composed just for this ensemble. Although the songs are stylistically from very different musical worlds, in the duo's opinion they are all united by speira, a kind of spiral of life, circulation, journeying, encounter, soulfulness and antiquity.
Vincent Bouchot's Sonatina Palimpsestica completed in 2002 will be heard, and Sid Hille's four-part series Promenades (2008/2009), all parts of which are named after places where the composer has lived or visited. Iiris Kosonen's Mariatyri (2006) takes its listeners to the irrational world of sleep. Pekka Jalkanen's work Speira (2004) twists according to the ancient Greek spiral ornament towards the center, changes its direction, rises to the initial state and continues its journey. Harri Wessman Finlandia was born in 2003 as a series of songs of the same name in Spanish for alto voice (Eeva-Kaarina Vilke) and the instrumentalists of this album. They premiered it at the 2003 Tirando guitar festival in Kuhmo. Later, Kristina Kuusisto and Mari Mäntylä have compiled that song series into an instrumental version of the music that can be heard on this album.
Duo Dryades, i.e. bandoneonist Kristina Kuusisto and decacordist Mari Mäntylä, started their collaboration in 2002. The members of the duo are curious to find new music that is not necessarily the traditional repertoire of these instruments. Both are active in international concert arenas not only as a duo but also in various ensembles and as soloists.

Tracks

Sonatina Palimpsestica (2002)
1.Icomp. Vincent Bouchot (b. 1966)ISRC FIABA09006911:39
2.IIcomp. Vincent Bouchot (b. 1966)ISRC FIABA09006921:02
3.I biscomp. Vincent Bouchot (b. 1966)ISRC FIABA09006934:35
4.II biscomp. Vincent Bouchot (b. 1966)ISRC FIABA09006941:03
Promenades (2008/2009)
5.Givernycomp. Sid Hille (b.1961)ISRC FIABA09006953:41
6.Rue d’Orseilcomp. Sid Hille (b.1961)ISRC FIABA09006963:47
7.Carnaccomp. Sid Hille (b.1961)ISRC FIABA09006974:58
8.St. Flourcomp. Sid Hille (b.1961)ISRC FIABA09006983:28
9.Mariatyyri (2006)comp. Iiris Kosonen (b.1960)ISRC FIABA09006996:57
Speira (2004)
10.Kyklos parodoscomp. Pekka Jalkanen (b.1945)ISRC FIABA09007005:20
11.Stasimocomp. Pekka Jalkanen (b.1945)ISRC FIABA09007014:21
12.Kyklos eksodoscomp. Pekka Jalkanen (b.1945)ISRC FIABA09007022:05
Finlandia (2003)
13.Lapones (Lapps)comp. Harri Wessman (b.1949)ISRC FIABA09007033:03
14.Ritmos (Rhythms)comp. Harri Wessman (b.1949)ISRC FIABA09007042:18
15.Tangocomp. Harri Wessman (b.1949)ISRC FIABA09007052:48
16.Verano (Summer)comp. Harri Wessman (b.1949)ISRC FIABA09007062:19

Reviews

”Bandoneon-decacorde -duo on tuiki harvinainen, ellei peräti ainutlaatuinen. Kristina Kuusiston ja Mari Mäntylän taitavissa käsissä se osoittautuu toimivaksi.
Argentiinalaisesta tangosta tutuksi tullut harmonikka ja 10-kielinen kitara kohtaavat hedelmällisessä vaikutteiden risteyksessä: syrjäkujien melankoliaa, moderneja sointitehoja, klassista tekniikkaa, tulisia aksentteja, menoisaa rytmiä ja jazzmaista letkeyttä.
Täyteläisimpänä esiin kohoaa nimikappale, Pekka Jalkasen Speira, kun taas…
Helsingin Sanomat · Jukka Isopuro
”Speira-levylleen Duo Dryades on koonnut yksinomaan tälle yhtyeelle sävellettyä musiikkia. Kaikki säveltäjät ovat sisäistäneet oivallisella tavalla näiden kahden soittimen kiehtovan sointimaailman ja tuloksena on musiikillisesti vaihteleva ja kiinnostava levy … Soitto on selkeästi jäsenneltyä ja tulkinnat rohkeita niin nyanssien kuin tempojenkin suhteen.”
Risto
YLE Uudet levyt · Risto Nordell