New music of the week - Nov 28
Pur ti miro — Wu Wei, Martin Stegner, Janne Saksala
The sheng is one of the oldest Chinese instruments, consisting of a series of pipes mounted onto a wind chest. It can, depending on the pitch, material, and number of pipes used simultaneously, sound like an organ, oboe, or recorder. It’s an unexpected but ideal fit for baroque music, and Germany-based sheng player Wei Wu collaborates with violist Martin Stegner and bassist Janne Saksala in trio sonatas by Bach and Vivaldi and Monteverdi arrangements. It’s an intriguing blend of timbres, and Wu in particular brings out a timbral and improvisational piquancy — the middle of Vivaldi’s ‘La Folia’ variations will take you by surprise.
Je te veux — Julie Fuchs, Alphonse Cemin
French soprano Julie Fuchs has always been equally comfortable in chanson and opera, and her latest recording combines the boulevardier charm of Satie and Poulenc with more serious fare by Stravinsky, Debussy, and Tailleferre. Fuchs is utterly charming, with plenty of wit and understated sophistication even though the close mic’ing doesn’t flatter her upper register. Cemin is an extrovert partner, and contributions from Davide Vittone, Alexis Cardenas, and Félicien Brut on the bass, violin, and accordion add plenty of Parisian colour.
Michael Hersch: Medea — Sarah Maria Sun, Bas Wiegers, Schola Heidelberg, Ensemble Musikfabrik
The sorceress Medea has inspired a long list of composers, from Handel to Cherubini to Reimann. The latest addition comes from American composer Michael Hersch, who works with librettist Stephanie Fleischmann to fashion an hour-long monodrama for soprano, orchestra, and chorus. It’s a gripping piece, with a structural and timbral rigour that lends it a suitable severity. Sun is spectacular in the title role, commanding a vocal line that ranges from a Berg-like expressionism to the straight-toned purity of the Renaissance. The choral writing is the standout, less Greek chorus than facets of Medea’s voice, diffracting in and out of Sun’s vocal line.
Destinée — Aya Nakamura
The French-Malian singer’s appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics may have drawn racist vitriol from Marine Le Pen but also propelled her into international stardom. Her latest album reads like a victory lap, incorporating Caribbean and R&B influences into her Afrobeats and zouk-influenced style. It feels like a departure, and even if some collaborations don’t land (“Pamela” with Kany is a warbly mess) there’s an energy and confidence that appeals. “Baddies” may be the runaway hit single but it’s “Baby Boy”, with its giddy beats and piano flourishes, that feels the most exciting.
