The
composers that have tried will say: it is easy to combine a string
quartet with with an accordion, just like percussion with one
or more accordions; or duets with sorts wind instruments will
always turn out very effectively, similarly the accordion in combination
with vocal or chorus... everybody agrees that the accordion with
piano is something very "difficult" - a complicated
combination, something to pay a lot of attention to, because it
is risky.
Obviously Nicholas Campogrande had the courage. In the booklet
he has tried to capture the good will of the listeners speaking
about "uncommon partners..." or "strange couple".
I deduce that composers fear the accordion. The " danze del
riso and dell'oblio " face the highest mountain to climb:
firstly the smoothness , the exchanges of rhythm and melody, the
intriguiry game of "seen or not seen", dreaming with
open eyes moving magically through time.
It would have been much easier to write down a thousand notes
on a piece of paper for virtuouso pianists or accordionists. Instead,
in order to execute this "macro-suite" a homage to the
dance, the excellent artists Alberto Fantino and Antonio Valentino
have not tried to compete in speed racing like cars in Indianapolis,
but been urged to fulfil a precise performance to the finest detail
always in the dimension of a continues moving on - said ironically.
Imagination and fantasy, yes - this is the stimulated feeling
listening to this disc. I must admit - it is a most extraordinary
result. One last observation: the accordion part is written for
a standard bass instrument without the need of an extension to
traditional keyboard (41 keys). It is worth emphasizing: anybody
can play " danze del riso e dell'oblio " if they want
and for those who haven't understood yet - good music does not
depend upon the amount of notes.
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