Download ARCANUM (BISSAM1187) By Ezequiel Vinao

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While the Pasadena Symphony rose to the challenge of the work with amazing skill, Mester’s tempi
were simply too fast. In the opening movement the relentless timpani beat failed to settle into a steady
pulse. The exquisite horn and violin duet in the second movement was taken too quickly to be
expressive. At such a frenetic pace, the treacherous pizzicato string sections were amazing. Jim Thatcher
had a glorious moment in the final movement, when the French horn soars over the orchestra with one
of the most exquisite themes ever written. The booming chordal section in the brass and bassoons was
lovely. The familiar main theme seemed a trifle quick to me, as well as the driving coda to the end.
Treat yourself to one of the remaining concerts of the Pasadena Symphony Season by calling (626)
793-7172, or visit their website at www.pasadenasymphony.org.
ARCANUM (BISSAM1187) By Ezequiel Vinao
REVIEWED BY DANIEL METCALF
Not so much a structured piece of music as a blasted
moonscape of haunted (and haunting) sounds, Ezequiel
Vinao's "Arcanum" for voice and chamber ensemble is
performed by the Absolute Ensemble with Kristjan
Järvi and Janet Youngdahl with so much intensity and
passion that it will linger in your imagination long after
the CD has ceased playing.
"Arcanum" (Latin for a deep secret or mystery) is a
work which takes the listener on a journey through the
Bible, the Underworld, the Middle Ages and beyond in
search of God, only to discover that divinity is in fact
everywhere. Originally written in 1996, it was
conceived in memory of a deceased friend of
Argentinian-born composer Ezequiel Vinao.
The work, in two parts, is a meditation on the concept
of time itself and the nature of knowledge. In it the
composer examines the development of early thought,
using material from philosophers and composers alike. The often very brief texts, from the Bible and the
works of Parmenides, Virgil, Augustine and others, are set to music inspired by sources scattered over
nine hundred years: from early mozarabic chant to late medieval and renaissance composers such as
Machaut and Gesualdo, and including influences from Persian and Hindustani music.
Our guides on the "Arcanum" journey are the Absolute Ensemble and Kristjan Järvi, a team which has
chosen to integrate, rather than segregate diverse - and seemingly incompatible - genres of music. The
group fuses its classical roots with everything from jazz and rock to world beat and minimalism, often
working with eminent guests from these various fields.
For this work 11 Absolute members - playing strings, oboe, trombones, and percussion (including
tabla-drums) - are joined by rock songstress Janet Youngdahl in creating some truly unforgettable
soundscapes.
While this piece isn't for everyone - Youngdahl's prominently featured soprano is, to be kind, an
acquired taste - the wildly eclectic "Arcanum" succeeds ultimately due to the sheer audacity of its
experimental ideals.
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