See moreReleased to mark Heinz Holliger's 80th birthday (on 21 May), this recording Zwiegespräche - "Dialogues" - is the perfect embodiment of his dual artistry as performer and composer.
Zwiegespräche begins with the intensely moving sound of Heinz Holliger's oboe calling out into the wild, in a piece written for him by his longstanding friend György Kurtág. Then comes a response composed by him, played on cor anglais by his pupil Marie-Lise Schüpbach. From here the conversation develops, of two composers who, from their solitary positions, strive to make contact with one another and with us. The many pieces are, as is typical for both composers, short. Six and a half minutes here is an epic, and many of the messages are over in under a minute. Such dimensions invite us to listen closely, to every turning nuance, and our attention is rewarded, by music-making that is at once emphatic and fine-grained.
Personnel: Heinz Holliger (oboe, cor anglais, piano), Marie-Lise Schüpbach (cor anglais, oboe), Ernesto Molinari: (bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet), Sarah Wegener (soprano), Philippe Jaccottet (speaker)