Ars Musica 2007 Brussels (5) Dusapin, Bedrossian, Maratka : Quatuor Danel  Kaaitheater, Brussels 24.03.2007 (HC)

Pascal Dusapin : String Quartet No.4

Frank Bedrossian : Tracés d’ombres

Krystof Maratka : Fables

Pascal Dusapin : String Quartet No.5

Pascal Dusapin had the lion’s share in the final concert of the 2007 Ars Musica festival and was represented by two major works. Moreover, this performance of his last string quartet was a Belgian premiere. His Fourth String Quartet (1997) is a quite substantial work that was composed  for and dedicated to the Prazák Quartet, but which has since been recorded by the Danel Quartet, a brilliant Belgian string quartet with a substantial and varied discography (including Shostakovich’s complete string quartets but also Saygun’s string quartets).  Although in one single movement, the Fourth String Quartet falls into three sections, more or less in the traditional fast-slow-fast mould, the central section being almost static, thus in complete contrast with the outer sections. The Fifth String Quartet was completed in 2005 and was first performed by the Arditti String Quartet in Amsterdam. This is yet another substantial work that does not fail to impress. In spite of its complexity, the music is strongly expressive and communicative. It is warmly melodic, which should not come too much as a surprise when considering that Dusapin has composed five operas so far and is at work on his sixth essay in the genre. Dusapin’s music is technically quite accomplished and carefully worked-out, but always with a clear expressive aim. His Fifth String Quartet is a masterpiece, and contains some of the finest music he ever penned; and this is a work that I really want to hear again.

The other composers and their works were completely new to me, which is on the whole a good thing for I could listen to the pieces without any prejudice. I was most favourably impressed by Maratka’s Fables (1996), a short suite of some sort indirectly based on some fables by La Fontaine, but the music is essentially abstract. The music of what is in fact a set of concise miniatures, possesses some remarkable subtlety and finesse that often reminded me of the delicately chiselled sound world of Webern’s Bagatellen Op.9, which – to my mind – says much for the real quality of the music. I will certainly want to hear more of this composer’s music.

On the other hand, Bedrossian’s Tracés d’ombres (2000/5) is a work in two movements “freely inspired by Kierkegaard”. I must say that I find it hard to accept as such, because I could not make out the possible connection between Kierkegaard’s philosophical writings and the various scrapping, screeching noises heard, that could have been more successfully achieved by purely electronic devices than by mercilessly mishandled stringed instruments. Well, yes, this was a real disappointment. The piece, however, was quite short – fortunately enough.

 

Hubert Culot