Marta Klimasara, Jürgen Spitschka - Sahay Manush (2025)

Tracklist

01. Deciso from Tango Suite for two guitars
02. Andante from Tango Suite for two guitars
03. Libertango (1997; Arr. Eric Sammut)
04. CaDance 4 2
05. Memories of the Seashore
06. Prélude from Le Tombeau de Couperin
07. Marimba Phase
08. Sahay Manush

The title of this album of duets by percussionists Marta Klimasara and Jürgen Spitschka, Sahay Manush, refers to the title of a composition by Marcin Blazewicz inspired by Bengali poetry. The CD contains an attractive mix of works arranged for the ensemble, classic percussion repertoire, and newly composed pieces. Each of the selections (except for Andy Pape's rhythmically propulsive CaDance) features at least one of the performers playing marimba, and some include two marimbas. One of the most attractive selections is a shimmering arrangement of the Prélude from Ravel's Le tombeau de Couperin, for two marimbas, made by the performers. Klimasara and Spitschka take Steve Reich's Marimba Phase, a realization of his classic Piano Phase, at breakneck speed, and the effect is mesmerizing. The title track, which employs a variety of percussion instruments, including the featured use of gongs capable of bending pitches, is exotically colorful and evocative. The CD opens with appealing arrangements of three Piazzola tangos. The duo plays with stylish sensitivity and absolute precision (as is required by the Reich) or flexibility (in Keiko Abe's atmospheric Memories of the Seashore). The sound is clean and crisp, but warm, with excellent separation and definition.

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