THE IDEA
between Bartók’s music and free creations
The three musicians of this improvising chamber music trio overtly admit having an affair with the music of the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, whose rhythms and themes they weave into their own music reformulating them in their free improvisations. Our repertoire includes compositions by Béla Bartók where the improvisations take the harmonic structure of the works as their starting point, largely preserving the folkloric atmosphere of his music. Other works by him are brought into the present day with abstract improvisational elements. The trio's special instrumentation creates an individual sound that is further enhanced by the personal playing styles of its members. The programme of Affäre Bela B. is complemented by original compositions by the band members.
THE ENSEMBLE
Martina Weidner
viola. Her profound knowledge of the catalogue of modern classical music is a valuable contribution to the ensemble’s musical concept. Two important oeuvres have been written for her instrument, both shortly before the composers’ deaths: Bartók’s concerto for viola and orchestra, and Shostakovich’s sonata for viola and piano, both of which Martina has studied and played. Moreover, she is an experienced string trio player, a format in which the viola is much engaged in playing two parts simultaneously, and this experience makes her the backbone of the ensemble’s sound, providing it, at times, with a huge, quasi orchestral, depth and warmth.
Theo Joergensmann
alto clarinet. An internationally recognized musician of the second generation of European Free Jazz, equally familiar with tonal and atonal musical concepts. Theo Joergensmann can draw from his rich experiences of playing for more than a half-century in all imaginable kinds of formations – solo projects, duos, his own quartet, up to big formations like Willem van Manen’s Contraband in the Netherlands, John Fischer's European Interface in the USA or Andrea Centazzo’s Mitteleuropa Orchestra in Italy.
Theo Joergensmann has as notable intuition for the sound potential of this very special chamber trio, and, moreover, he is a creator of strong melodies.
Ernst Deuker
contrabass clarinet. His interest and affection for Bartók’s music developed early in his days as a Rock bassist in the 70s, when his band adopted a Bulgarian Dance from Bartók’s Mikrokosmos, a few years before he co-founded the German New Wave band Ideal. Over the years, Deuker’s interest has shifted more and more towards the contrabass clarinet. Bartóks rhythms had a strong impact on Deuker’s rhythmical approach both to the electric bass and to his later instrumental love, shining through in some of the ensemble’s arrangements. As a contrabass clarinetist, his constant alternation between rhythm and powerful melodies is an important source of inspiration for the trio.