ARC
The Intercontinental Ensemble spans diverse musical worlds, as female artists from various backgrounds share their musical stories.
Bianca Bongers’ “Collage of an Octave” is a meditative piece that effortlessly blends harmonies by Pärt with rhythms by Stravinsky.
Clara Schumann wrote her 3 Romances after meeting Brahms. Originally for piano, IntEns’ arrangement of these beautiful pieces offers even more colors of sound.
Aregnaz Martirosyan’s “Emotional Diversity” is a confrontational and raw look at the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, where families and friends are sent to the front.
Sarah Neutkens’ “September I” creates a musical journey through the golden colors of an autumn forest.
Finally, there’s the nonet by French composer Louise Farrenc. After the premiere, she received a pay raise from the Paris Conservatory. Not a moment too soon, as in the 19th century she was paid less than her male colleagues for the same work.
All of these different stories, told by the nine musicians of IntEns.
TRAVELING LIGHT
Famous symphonies brought in a new light. More transparency, more flexibility.
The Intercontinental Ensemble (IntEns) presents familiar symphonies in a new light. With their arrangements and performance, they provide listeners with the opportunity to discover new melodies in the works. Musical lines that were previously hardly audible in the sound mass of an
orchestra.
Franz Schubert wrote his eighth symphony at the end of his life. It was called “the Unfinished” because it only has two parts instead of four. Schubert needed no more to tell his musical story.
The “Poco Allegretto” from Brahms’ third symphony is a highlight of romanticism. The melancholic melody, introduced by the cello, captivates the listener from beginning to end.
In his first symphony, Beethoven is clearly still a student of Haydn. In the second, he found his own voice: obstinate, romantic, and with boundless energy. Beethoven brought something new and unheard of. Critics were at a loss, in contrast to the immediately enthusiastic audience.
You will hear pieces from these three giants in IntEns’ own arrangement for nonet, which gains in transparency and flexibility, with the same intensity as a full orchestra.
IN MOTU
Every piece of music has motion, but some pieces just have a little bit more. Such is the case with the pieces on IntEns’ new album “In Motu”.
Nino Rota is best known as a film composer for Fellini and Coppola films. In his nonet, he showcases all of these different styles. From drama to hilarious comedy, the music is a wild rollercoaster that surprises and captivates the listener throughout its five movements.
The Czech composer Martinů wrote his nonet in 1959 for the Czech Nonet. It is a tribute to his birthplace, full of folk dances and exuberant euphoria, with a heart-wrenching middle section.
At the age of twenty, Mendelssohn traveled through Italy for months. He was overwhelmed by centuries-old art, beautiful nature, and passionate Italian character. He captured these impressions in this Symphony, which ends with an impressive tarantella.
“In Motu” is a powerful and moving experience that leaves no one untouched. IntEns performs the music with full passion and enjoyment.
