Omaggio A Francesco

Ebrahimi, Ehsan; Mixtura; Abedian, Arsalan; Jalali, Mehdi; Kern, Margit; Bäuml, Katharina

Accordion and shawm – there could hardly be a greater contrast between instruments – at least at first glance. During the 14th to 17th centuries, the shawm – a double-reed wind instrument – was widely used. Performing together with the cornett, oboe and trombone, the Middle Ages and Renaissance are its musical home. Town piper ensembles as well as representative and sacred music determined its world of sound. On the other hand, for about 50 years the accordion – an aerophone of the 19th century – has been evolving into a concert instrument on the classical concert podium. Many contemporary composers write music for it and have learned to love its tonal aesthetic. What can a combination of such very different instruments achieve and reveal today? Margit Kern and Katharina Bäuml were convinced from the beginning that it would have to be more than merely an experiment. A new beginning, a journey with an unknown destination. The present recording involves nothing less than an encounter between different historical periods and musical cultures; it really is more than merely a tonal experiment. Their present album looks at a musical icon of the Trecento and examines to what extent the themes of the 14th century are compatible with today’s attitudes and aesthetics.

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