From Shadows into Light
From Shadows into Light
(Light of the Orient)
An astonishing encounter of
Turkish musicians (kemence and kanun)
and Ensemble Variances
Presentation
From Shadows into Light (Light of the Orient) brings together the voices and instruments of the Near East and Ensemble Variances. Musicians and audience will be exploring the relationship of the traditional Turkish sufi vocal and instrumental music from as far back as the 14th century with 21st century transformations of this material by Thierry Pécou and Michael Ellison.
Together with instruments and voices from the near-East, Ensemble Variances alternates delicate maqam sounds with contemporary sensibilities, bringing the ancient melodies into a dialogue and productive creative tension with the music of our time. Both the traditional and contemporary works on this programme play with the idea of emerging light.
The ‘orient’, represented here by the works of Turkish sufi Mustafa Buhurizade Itri (1640-1712) and traditional Turkish Ilahis of tasavvuf (sufism), seek after it in their texts and with a remarkable consistency, while contemporary works show a more dialectical relationship: in Les Rameurs obscurs de la barque de Rê, the passage to light occurs after being immersed in shadow, and in the case of Elif, as the eternal truth of first utterance buried beneath the swirling sands of time and cultural overlay.
Number of people
Traditional musicians
Neva Özgen kemençe
Serkan Halili kanun player
Ensemble Variances
Liana Gourdjia violin
Masha Lankovsky violin
Cécilia Bercovich viola
Carjez Gerretsen clarinet
David Louwerse cello
2 composers
Michael Ellison conductor
Thierry Pécou
Program
Taksim
Kanun and kemençe opening improvisation
Michael Ellison
Elif (2003)
Buhurizade Mustafa Itri
Pesrevs in Segah and Bestenigar (c. 1680)
Michael Ellison
From Light into Shadows (commissioned by the Festival Détours de Babel)
Traditionnel
Folk songs, Ilahiler (1600- 1850’s)
Thierry Pécou
Les Rameurs obscurs de la barque de Rê for string quartet, pre-recorded sounds and traditional musicians
Partnership
Co-production Ensemble Ensemble Variances and the Festival Les Détours de Babel
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The Ensemble Variances receive support from Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication - Drac Normandie, Région Normandie, Spedidam, Sacem, Ville de Rouen, Odia Normandie, Onda. The Ensemble Variances is member of Fevis, Futurs Composés, Bureau Export and Profedim. It is member of Groupement d'Employeurs Solstice, supported by Région Normandie. Caisse des Dépôts, main sponsor of Ensemble Variances.
