Ramble with Airmachine

Grant Chu Covell

[November 2025.]

“Sinuous Voices.” Ondřej ADÁMEK: Sinuous Voices (2004)¹; Conséquences particulièrement blanches ou noires concerto (2016)²; Ça tourne ça bloque (2007-08)³. Roméo Monteiro² (airmachine), Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain^1,2,3, Daniel Kawka^1,2, Ondřej Adámek³ (cond.). Aeon AECD 1858 (1 CD) (www.outhere-music.com).

As revealed here, Adámek’s wondrously strange world centers on breath, the motion of air, the reminder that sound comes from voices or their imitations. Sinuous Voices considers women singing in groups then singly, however, there are no actual vocal artifacts, and whether the chorus or solo originally existed in memory or on tape, is not completely relevant to Adámek’s creation. In Sinuous Voices Adámek attempts to recreate vocal qualities: breathing, echoing, reverberance, etc. The results are eerie, and the instrumentation and active rhythms contribute to his different expressive mode.

Conséquences particulièrement blanches ou noires concerto is a concerto for airmachine and orchestra. I am not sure what an “airmachine” is, but I imagine an amplified vacuum, or the blowers and pumps repurposed from an organ. It sounds exotic, like a stuck goose or a deformed kazoo. Adámek supports his invention with colorful accompaniment, as if serious cartoon music. Georges Aperghis meets Bernhard Lang meets Raymond Scott. In Ça tourne ça bloque, taped Japanese and French speakers are mined for their rhythms and Adámek’s orchestra responds accordingly.

“Bach Uncaged.” Johann Sebastian BACH: Sonata for Solo Violin No. 1 in G minor, BWV 1001 (1720). John CAGE: selections from Sonatas and Interludes (1946-48). Zachary Carrettin (e-vln), Mina Gajić (pno). Sono Luminus DSL-92273 (1 CD) (www.sonoluminus.com).

Perhaps I dwell too extensively upon a release’s potential audience, but this pair has released several recordings before, so it’s conceivable that this project was developed alongside other more considered productions. Stated simply, Carrettin and Gajić do not actually play together: Bach and Cage interleave in this “sonata” exploration. And this Bach is not for purists.

I’ve no problem that Carrettin plies an electric violin. The ear acclimatizes rather quickly to the echoey timbre, however, he plays fast and loose with the notes. There is an overabundance of Bach played traditionally, and I get that Carrettin wants to take a different path. I may not have been on such high alert if his instrument were traditional, but Carrettin adds cadenzas, contributes a new vocabulary of ornaments, and reorders pitches in chords and phrases. I can accept that he may be reading from a different “edition,” but there are places in the Fuga which suggest pure improvisation.

As for the Cage, while we get all four movements of BWV 1001, we only get Sonatas III, IV, V, VI, XIV, XV, XVI, and Interlude I. I can’t say if Gajić takes similar liberties, however, the pianist’s pulse is constant. What surprises me, is that I am more interested in what Carrettin has to say about Bach. The Cage trudges when it should sparkle. The booklet notes explore the East vs. West, Zen vs. Lutheran dimensions. But as I’ve bemoaned elsewhere, being open to unforeseen events doesn’t mean you can sidestep composers’ intentions. Programming Cage is not a reason to take liberties with Bach.

“Photography, Orchestral Works.” Errollyn WALLEN: Cello Concerto (2007)¹; Hunger (1996)²; Photography (2006)³; In Earth (2015)⁴. Matthew Sharp¹ (vlc), Tim Harries⁴ (bass guit), Errollyn Wallen⁴ (voice), Orchestra X^1,3, The Continuum Ensemble², Ensemble X², Quartet X⁴, Nicholas Kok^1,3, Philip Headlam² (cond.). NMC D221 (1 CD) (www.nmcrec.co.uk).

An uneven disc saves the best for last: In Earth revisits a familiar bit of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, and Wallen runs the vocal line herself, supported with quartet and atmospheric electric guitar. This is preceded by the string-orchestra Photography, reflections upon experiencing fixed images, or possibly four studies on perception. Continuing backwards, Hunger is a hefty sectional tone-poem, depicting a metaphysical landscape, with details, starts and stops. The first item is a conventional Cello Concerto which occupies its soloist with interesting lines. I want to hear more of Wallen in dialog with the past.

Alberto HEMSI: Danze nuziali greche, Op. 37 bis (1956)¹; Tre arie antiche (dalle Coplas Sefardies), Op. 30 (1945)²; Pilpúl Sonata, Op. 27 (1942)³; Quintet, Op. 28 (1943)⁴; Méditation, Op. 16 (before 1931)⁵. ARC Ensemble: Erika Raum^2,4, Marie Bérard^2,4, Emily Kruspe³ (vln), Steven Dann⁴, Julien Altmann^2,4 (vla), Tom Wiebe^1,2,4,5 (vlc), Kevin Ahfat^1,3,5 (pno). Chandos CHAN 20243 (1 CD) (www.chandos.net).

Akin to Bartók and Kodály, Hemsi (1898-1975) was an avid collector of vanishing folk music who incorporated “discovered” melodies and harmonies into his compositions. Hemsi was born in Turkey to Italian parents. He studied in Milan, served in WWI, but returned to Smyrna and scoured the region for Sephardic and other tunes. In 1928, his family settled in Alexandria where he became music director at the Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue. But in 1956 during the Suez Crisis, he and his family fled to Paris.

ARC Ensemble brings bright light and vibrancy to premiere recordings. Far from purely functional settings, these are complete and developed pieces which sound rewarding to perform. Yes, folk music pervades, but Hemsi brings virtuosic writing (the piano accompaniments to the Greek wedding dances), extremely fluid tempos (the Pilpúl Sonata for violin and piano), and idiomatic figurations (in the quartet arrangement of Coplas Sefardies). The Méditation is a straightforward and charming piece for cello and piano, slightly jazzy, with smart piano figurations – move over Bloch and Fauré. The viola quintet (solo viola plus string quartet) is remarkable because of its routinely surprising harmonies and overall briskness.

“Théo Ould: Laterna Magica.” Jean-Philippe RAMEAU: Gavotte et six doubles from Suite in A minor (1727). Régis CAMPO: Laterna Magica (2011); Pagamania! (2023); Ad Astra (2022). J.S. BACH: Toccata from Partita No. 6 in E minor, BWV 830 (1731); Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004 (1717-20; arr. Ferruccio BUSONI, 1892). Tomás GUBITSCH: À ce train-là (n.d.); Au bord du Naheul Huapi (n.d.); Tango tangent (n.d.). W.A. MOZART: Minuet from Violin Sonata in E minor, K. 304 (1778)*. Peter TCHAIKOVSKY: Romance, Op. 5 (1868). Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH: Allegro from Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor, Op. 40 (1934)**. Enrique GRANADOS: Danse Espagnole No. 2, “Oriental” (1883). Théo Ould (accordion), Luka Faulisi* (vln), Lisa Strauss** (vlc). Alpha 995 (1 CD) (www.outhere-music.com).

Opening with Rameau’s Gavotte, we learn quickly that Ould can play anything. This release (one of several on Alpha) spans quaint classics (Rameau, Bach-Busoni, Tchaikovsky, Granados), duo arrangements (Mozart and Shostakovich sonatas for violin and cello respectively), obligatory modern tango-ish pieces with tape backing (Tomás Gubitsch), and wholeheartedly contemporary works (Gubitsch, Régis Campo). Campo’s Pagamania! for accordion and tape (with oud, voices, guitars, etc.) is a spirited medley through familiar Paganini themes. Ould’s rendition of the big Bach Chaconne (filtered through Busoni’s keyboard arrangement) is a tour-de-force. He’s playing in a nearby town later this year and it’s marginally disappointing to see the emphasis on Piazzolla, but that’s what sells seats in these parts.

“Works for Treble Voice and Piano.” Milton BABBITT: The Widow’s Lament in Springtime (1950); Du (1951); Sounds and Words (1960); Phonemena (1969; piano ver); Phonemena (1975; tape ver); A Solo Requiem* (1977); In His Own Words (1988); The Virginal Book (1988); Pantun (2000); Now Evening After Evening (2002). Nina Berman (sop), Steven Beck, Eric Huebner* (pno). New Focus Recordings FCR349 (1 CD) (www.newfocusrecordings.com).

It’s probably just me, but I am grateful to hear the piano plunking about in these short pieces. To be specific, Beck’s expressive touch when the accompaniment is a single player appeals far more than A Solo Requiem’s less sparkly dual keyboards. Berman’s voice is also nice, as she navigates between predominantly English, the German suite (Du), the unique vocal sounds in Phonemena, and the sprechstimme of In His Own Words, Babbitt’s smarty-pants birthday tribute for Mel Powell. This recording follows Phonemena’s piano version with the one for tape, which is quite a treat.

“Motion Trio: Polonium.” Henryk GÓRECKI: Concerto for harpsichord and string orchestra, Op. 40 (1980; arr. Janusz WOJTAROWICZ)*. Janusz WOJTAROWICZ and Jacek HOŁUBOWSKI: Sounds of War. Witold LUTOSŁAWSKI: Bucolics (1952; arr. J. WOJTAROWICZ). Krzysztof PENDERECKI: Chaconne in memoriam John Paul II (2005; arr. J. WOJTAROWICZ, 2008). Wojciech KILAR: Orawa (1986; arr. J. WOJTAROWICZ). Marta PTASZYŃSKA: The Last Waltz in Vienna (2001). Leszek Możdżer* (pno), Motion Trio: Janusz Wojtarowicz, Paweł Baranek, Marcin Gałażyn (accordion). Warner Classics Akordeonus AKD 009 (1 CD) (www.warnerclassics.com).

Here’s an uncommon trio, especially as accompaniment for Górecki’s zipper-tight keyboard concerto (harpsichord appears in the title, but piano is an established alternate). This brief disc (38 mins) collects Polish music for three accordions. Two pieces appear to be meant for this ensemble, Wojtarowicz and Hołubowski’s Sounds of War which leverages the electronic-sounding aspect of instruments that can wheeze, groan and click (plus a Shostakovich quote, if not other tunes), and Ptaszyńska’s The Last Waltz in Vienna.

Lutosławski’s clever folksy miniatures, Bucolics, showcases the trio’s crisp articulation and razor-sharp irony. Penderecki’s Chaconne strays into campiness, perhaps intentionally, given how easily massed accordions suggest Piazzolla. Kilar’s Orawa veers away from Lutosławski and Penderecki’s tonality, and back towards Górecki’s energetic minimalism.