When this concert featuring the Pik Nik Cello Dúo was first announced, the programme initially included just the music of Luigi Boccherini and poetry by Miguel Hernández. I wasn’t too thrilled with that since I’m totally unfamiliar with works of Boccherini and I was at a loss on how I would understand the poetry part since my Spanish is extremely limited. But I still decided to give this concert a shot since I told myself to be open to new and unfamiliar things especially when it comes to music.
So on to the Salón de Actos of Instituto Cervantes I went to see the duo composed of cellists Marta Roma and Iñaki Etxepare who are both from Spain. Amazingly, the venue was fully packed and some unfortunate ones had to settle seeing the performance via a projection screen at the wall at the hallway. Lucky for me, I was able to find myself a very good seat inside. And when I got my hands on the programme, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was another set after the fugues. And this second part was what interested me more.
Honestly, it wasn’t easy for me to enjoy the performance during the first part which was made up of 6 Fugues for 2 Cellos by Luigi Boccherini and the poems Las Manos, Por tu Pie, Vientos del Pueblo by Miguel Hernández. As I’ve said earlier, I’m not familiar with Boccherini’s work and unfortunately, I’m not even a fan of fugues. But I told myself to consider the performance as a new experience and it proved to be just that with the inclusion of the recited poetry.
They started the concert by playing together the first fugue and after the piece, one started to recite a verse of the first poem while the other plucked broken chords in accompaniment. I couldn’t recall if the arpeggios played were part of the actual fugues or passages played pizzicato. There were times when they stopped playing altogether to give way to the poetry and then resumed back to the music where they left off.
I didn’t understand the poetry at all. And early on, I already abandoned any efforts trying to get the meaning of the poems but instead focused on how the two cellists recited them. The changes in tempo, rhythm, dynamics and pitch in the recitation somehow gave a certain musicality to something I initially thought that I wouldn’t appreciate at all. But I admit that I was drawn more to the music and was more attentive to the one playing than the one reciting. It was an odd feeling when I noticed people around me reacting to the words that they heard while I was absolutely oblivious to what was being said. The audience gave a polite applause when the duo finished all of the six fugues.
After a brief intermission, the second part started and this was the redeeming part of the concert for me. The duo played contemporary music by composer Samuel Maynez and with titles like Huapango, Minueto, Marchata, Tango, Elegía del Recuerdo, Danzón con un Poco de Tango y Salsa, I already got an idea on how the music would sound.
This was when the evening got more exciting and the playing more passionate. Most of the music in this set was based on dances so there was a more relaxed atmosphere in this part compared to the more serious first part. The Tango was very sensual in which Etxepare played the melody often hitting the high registers of the cello and gliding from one note to the other. Roma played the accompaniment along with the syncopated bass line and provided a nice contrast to the fluid melody. After this piece was a total change of pace and mood. Although I understand very little Spanish, I knew that the Elegía del Recuerdo would be a mournful piece in line with the other elegies in music literature. And I savored this performance with utmost interest.
I haven’t said too much about the poetry in this second part. The poems recited were Un Son para Ninos Antillanos, Son 6, El Negro Mar and Mulata by Nicolás Guillén. By this time, I was completely engrossed by the music and only managed to get quick glimpses on whoever was reciting the poem.
The second part really entertained the audience and they clamored for more from Roma and Etxepare after they were done. And they did perform two encores: the first was Danzón and the second one was Fandango both by Maynez. After the concert, the two met with the very satisfied crowd who gathered at the lobby.
So on to the Salón de Actos of Instituto Cervantes I went to see the duo composed of cellists Marta Roma and Iñaki Etxepare who are both from Spain. Amazingly, the venue was fully packed and some unfortunate ones had to settle seeing the performance via a projection screen at the wall at the hallway. Lucky for me, I was able to find myself a very good seat inside. And when I got my hands on the programme, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was another set after the fugues. And this second part was what interested me more.
Honestly, it wasn’t easy for me to enjoy the performance during the first part which was made up of 6 Fugues for 2 Cellos by Luigi Boccherini and the poems Las Manos, Por tu Pie, Vientos del Pueblo by Miguel Hernández. As I’ve said earlier, I’m not familiar with Boccherini’s work and unfortunately, I’m not even a fan of fugues. But I told myself to consider the performance as a new experience and it proved to be just that with the inclusion of the recited poetry.
They started the concert by playing together the first fugue and after the piece, one started to recite a verse of the first poem while the other plucked broken chords in accompaniment. I couldn’t recall if the arpeggios played were part of the actual fugues or passages played pizzicato. There were times when they stopped playing altogether to give way to the poetry and then resumed back to the music where they left off.
I didn’t understand the poetry at all. And early on, I already abandoned any efforts trying to get the meaning of the poems but instead focused on how the two cellists recited them. The changes in tempo, rhythm, dynamics and pitch in the recitation somehow gave a certain musicality to something I initially thought that I wouldn’t appreciate at all. But I admit that I was drawn more to the music and was more attentive to the one playing than the one reciting. It was an odd feeling when I noticed people around me reacting to the words that they heard while I was absolutely oblivious to what was being said. The audience gave a polite applause when the duo finished all of the six fugues.
After a brief intermission, the second part started and this was the redeeming part of the concert for me. The duo played contemporary music by composer Samuel Maynez and with titles like Huapango, Minueto, Marchata, Tango, Elegía del Recuerdo, Danzón con un Poco de Tango y Salsa, I already got an idea on how the music would sound.
This was when the evening got more exciting and the playing more passionate. Most of the music in this set was based on dances so there was a more relaxed atmosphere in this part compared to the more serious first part. The Tango was very sensual in which Etxepare played the melody often hitting the high registers of the cello and gliding from one note to the other. Roma played the accompaniment along with the syncopated bass line and provided a nice contrast to the fluid melody. After this piece was a total change of pace and mood. Although I understand very little Spanish, I knew that the Elegía del Recuerdo would be a mournful piece in line with the other elegies in music literature. And I savored this performance with utmost interest.
I haven’t said too much about the poetry in this second part. The poems recited were Un Son para Ninos Antillanos, Son 6, El Negro Mar and Mulata by Nicolás Guillén. By this time, I was completely engrossed by the music and only managed to get quick glimpses on whoever was reciting the poem.
The second part really entertained the audience and they clamored for more from Roma and Etxepare after they were done. And they did perform two encores: the first was Danzón and the second one was Fandango both by Maynez. After the concert, the two met with the very satisfied crowd who gathered at the lobby.
Cellist Marta Roma
Cellist Iñaki EtxepareOverall, the concert was a bit too short for me and it ended when the audience was just getting warmed up. But it’s not yet over for me since Etxepare is set to perform a cello concerto by Haydn a couple of days later. It’s too bad that Roma will not be playing as well but she told me that she will when she comes back again.
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