Solstice
Adam Cicchillitti; Denis Plante; Orchestre Classique de Montreal; Jean-Marie Zaitouni
ATMA ACD2 2936 (atmaclassique.com/en/product/solstice-adam-cicchillitti-denis-plante-astor-piazzolla)
Denis Plante (bandoneon) and Adam Cicchillitti (guitar) collaborate and “join” Orchestre classique de Montreal under conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni as integrated solo voices, creating a balance point, like a solstice. Instrumental colours, conversations, styles like classical, tango, dance, popular and jazz explore and combine Southern/Latin American and Northern/contemporary Canadian music traditions.
Plante’s composition Ciudad-Soledad is the perfect introduction. Loud opening with rhythmic orchestral music and bandoneon lines. Melodic conversations between bandoneon and guitar above accented symphonic beats lead to a slower mid-section with solos. The pace gradually picks up resulting in a closing highlighted with accented chords.
Mexican Manuel M. Ponce’s three movement Concierto del sur blends in Spanish modal inflections. The Allegro moderato movement has alternating guitar and hushed orchestra lines and accents, featuring Cicchillitti’s colourful playing of detached picked strings, contrasted with smoother melodic lines.
Astor Piazzolla’s tango-nuevo style Hommage à Liège (1984) is a three-movement double concerto for bandoneon, classical guitar, and symphony. Introduction has a sad, serious guitar solo until the bandoneon enters with quieter harmonic lines and melodies. Third movement Tango opens with Plante’s brilliant bandoneon playing, then a full orchestral tango with driving rhythms.
Plante’s enticing arrangement and performance of Piazzolla’s Oblivion for strings, bandoneon and guitar maintains Piazzolla’s expressive milonga style melody and arpeggiated accompaniments. Canadian Luis Ramirez’s Sola from his Immigration Suite for string orchestra and bandoneon has strident tango style high pitched strings against lower orchestral chords hauntingly suggestive of troubling immigration experiences.
The Canadian musicians perform these timeless compositions passionately.
