French chamber ensemble Trio Saxiana performed on March 4th in Crowell Concert Hall, playing world premieres of recently composed pieces by contemporary composers, including the University’s own Professor of Music Neely Bruce. The ensemble consists of two saxophone players, Olivier Besson and Nicolas Prost, and piano player Laurent Wagschal.
Bruce’s composition, entitled “Private Conversations,” began the performance. The ethereal piece ranged from jarring, unsynchronized saxophone played over tinkling piano lines to droning harmonic interactions. The placement of saxophones in the resonating body of the piano produced a particularly memorable effect, altering the instrument’s natural tone and creating an unusual echo long after the last note had been played.
“Private Conversations” emphasized the interaction between the two saxophone players. Trading notes and motifs in improvisational riffs allowed the listener to consider the communication between the two musicians, while the improvisational arpeggios ensured that the music maintained a feeling of privacy and intimacy.
Many of the other compositions shared the improvisational elements of Bruce’s piece, allowing the musicians to play off one another. The musicians gained and lessened momentum and intensity as they glided over the musical landscape shaped by the French and American composers. At one point, the two stood up and played directly at each other, escalating their musical duel.
Other pieces performed included “Nanook Trio” by Thierry Pecou (based on a score he composed for the Robert Flaherty film, “Nanook of the North”), “Trio op.42” by Martin Munch, “Trio for Two Saxophones and Piano” by Gerald Shapiro, and “Menage a Trois” by Mark Phillips.
Encompassing a wide range of musical influences, from the experimental and improvisational to more classically influenced, melody-driven pieces, Trio Saxiana’s performance impressively showcased both the ensemble’s musical ability and the creative compositions of contemporary composers.
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