Synaesthesis, seen by many as the most daring Lithuanian ensemble uncompromisingly dedicated to new music, often chooses American post/minimalism for its repertoire, yet their debut CD consists solely of music by Lithuanian composers, namely Dominykas Digimas, Andrius Arutiunian, Julius Aglinskas and Rita Mačiliūnaitė, who represent the younger generation, and their senior colleagues Ramūnas Motiekaitis, Rytis Mažulis and Ričardas Kabelis, the latter two known as radical experimentalists.
Marta Finkelštein, a pianist and leader of the ensemble, described the vision of the first album as the musicians’ desire to display something they feel is authentic and original in the context of Lithuanian music. “Intuitively, our eyes turned to compositions that immerse us into certain states of being or urges us examine them. From the performers’ point of view, this music stretches us to the extremes, from the finest sonic expression to super-human concentration, and ultimately makes us balance between an utopian idea and a real gesture,” she said.
The new release might surprise expert aficionados of the ensemble. Lithuanian concert goers are used to the ensemble’s driving, powerful and cool sound, yet this compilation offers a somewhat different game of stopping and being while consciously observing changes inside and outside. Here we are dealing with the other side of Synaesthesis, its undiscovered alter ego which appears no less intriguing than the already well-examined façade.
released December 31, 2018
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC ENSEMBLE SYNAESTHESIS:
Vytautas Oškinis – flute (3-5)
Artūras Kažimėkas – clarinet (3-6)
Gediminas Abaris – horn (2)
Dominykas Grigaliūnas – saxophone (7)
Jonas Kunčius – trombone (2)
Andrius Rekašius – percussion (3, 5, 7)
Marta Finkelštein – piano (1-7)
Diemantė Merkevičiūtė – violin (1-5, 7)
Monika Kiknadzė – viola (1-4, 6)
Elena Daunytė – cello (2-5)
Donatas Butkevičius – double bass (5)
Pranas Kentra – electric guitar (7)
Karolis Variakojis – conductor (1-7)
Recording engineer, sound mixing and mastering – Julius Aglinskas
Liner notes - Vytenis Burokas
Text translation – Darius Krasauskas
Text proofreading – Linas Paulauskis, Chad Damon Stewart
Photographs – Tomas Terekas
Graphic design – Greta Unguvaitytė
Executive producer – Eglė Bertašienė
. . .
Supported by the Lithuanian Council for Culture and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania
Partner - Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre
℗ & © Music Information Centre Lithuania, MICL CD103,
mic.lt