Luciano Berio's Sequenza XIV for cello explores the instrument's resources by treating its parts (strings, body) individually or as a whole, and incorporating traditional Sri Lankan rhythms.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The album's concept is to find common roots between composers of different eras, specifically the shared mastery of polyphony between Bach, Berio, and Boulez.
Album & Artwork
The idea for this album, which explores connections between Bach, Berio, and Boulez, came to the performers during the first COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020.
Composition History
Bach's three Sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord, featured on this album, were likely written in Leipzig between the late 1730s and early 1740s, for his pupil Carl Friedrich Abel.
Interpretation
Bach's Sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord are performed on this recording using modern string instruments (cello) and piano, reflecting their common adaptation in the modern repertoire.
Composer Biography
Berio's Sequenza XIV was dedicated to Rohan de Saram, a Sri Lankan cellist who introduced Berio to traditional percussion instruments from his country, like the Kandy drum.
Composition History
Pierre Boulez's Douze Notations for piano, composed in 1945, were published forty years later but served as fundamental material for his later orchestral works.
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