Simaku: SOLO (Soloists of Ensemble intercontemporain)

Album review

The durable Ensemble Intercontemporain, founded by Pierre Boulez, continues to draw listeners even after his demise, and this challenging but accessible release landed on classical best-seller charts in the autumn of 2023. Here, the ensemble's soloists take center stage in music by composer Thomas Simaku, often requiring virtuoso talent but beautifully written for the instruments involved. Possibly the most attractive piece is the Soliloquy VIII for percussion, with a featured marimba part that strains at the instrument's limitations. Simaku's music is atonal but offers the listener clear points of reference. Sample the various movements of Catena II for piano, where each movement explores the implications of a specific gesture or sonority; its energetic counterpoint is rooted firmly in classical procedures. All of the works were composed within the last decade, but Catena III appears to be the only one dating from the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has a grim quality that places it apart from the rest of the music. Highly recommended to music students, who may find appealing recital material here.

© James Manheim /TiVo