The Ensemble Contraste, led by Johan Farjot and Arnaud Thorette, aims to reconcile popular and art music genres, blending styles like jazz, tango, lyric art song, and chanson.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded live during several concerts in the Liège Philharmonic Hall, a decision made to capture the musicians' improvisation and communicative joy.
Compositional Technique
Johan Farjot's arrangements for this album transform tango pieces, which are not essentially orchestral, by recalibrating their simple strophic forms to orchestral proportions and adding virtuosic developments.
Historical Context
The Liège Philharmonic Hall, where this album was recorded, was inaugurated in 1887 with the support of violinist Eugène Ysaÿe and is known for its excellent acoustics.
Performer Biography
The Ensemble Contraste has collaborated with the Liège Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for a long time, including a 2009 recording of Max Bruch's music.
Composition History
The album includes a new work, "Plaza Mayor," by composer Karol Beffa, commissioned specifically for this program and dedicated to Johan Farjot and Arnaud Thorette.
Recording & Production
The recording process involved combining a symphony orchestra with a jazz singer and combo, presenting a significant sound challenge that the Aparté label's team successfully managed.
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