Four Pieces for violoncello and accordion
[2001] | duration: 14’00”
Two sound spaces are juxtaposed here, which merge beautifully despite each instrument retaining its own individuality: the accordion, with its vibratoless tone functioning as a harmonic instrument, and the cello, playing a dual role—on the one hand as a vehicle of expressive (espressivo) playing style, and on the other occasionally taking on a bass function. This duo formation vividly illustrates how the two instruments can mutually illuminate and “recolor” one another.
Beyond the tonal dimension, these four pieces explore various forms of interplay: freely improvised sections repeatedly coalesce into fixed metric sequences, which may then dissolve again. Behind the quasi-aleatoric passages lie virtual harmonies acting as “binding agents,” whose presence becomes increasingly perceptible as the rhythmic structure solidifies.
Max Engel – violoncello, Harald Pröckl – accordion