#4221: With Bryce Dessner
American guitarist, composer, and curator Bryce Dessner now Paris-based, (who also co-founded the rock band, The National), presents music from his latest record, El Chan. It’s a collaboration with the piano duo of sisters Katia & Marielle Labeque, also based in France.
After teaming up with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Noto on the score for Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film The Revenant, Dessner found himself staying in the home of the filmmaker. In fact, the record takes its name from a lovely canyon in the hills outside of San Miguel, near said home where Dessner was working. He admits that the suite of pieces, “El Chan” for two pianos does contain a few winks toward The Revenant score. Listen to those suites for the piano duo and their incredibly intricate interlocking rhythms, along with a portion of Dessner’s Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra, which contains echoes of Glass, Adams, and Reich. Of the work, Dessner says, “it has pulse, that’s for sure.” Also, listen to his work “Haven” for two pianos and two guitars.
Dessner also speaks of maintaining the balance of playing and touring with the rock band and composing, and how to find the time. (Since 2006, he has also curated an annual festival, The MusicNOW Festival, which is taking a break this year.) He also expresses deep gratitude for the opportunities to play with and meet musicians from many different backgrounds and countries like Katia & Marielle Labeque. Dessner will be touring Europe this spring with the piano duo on their Minimalist Dream House tour, where they play music by many minimalist composers, among other dates. (Details at brycedessner.com.) -Caryn Havlik
Program #4221: With Bryce Dessner (First aired 4/03/2019)
ARTIST: Katia & Marielle Labeque, Orchestre de Paris, Matthias Pintscher
WORK: Bryce Dessner: Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra -Second Movement [1:30]
RECORDING: El Chan
SOURCE: Deutsche Grammophon | Due April 5, 2019
INFO: dgfrance.lnk.to/ElChan
ARTIST: Katia & Marielle Labeque
WORK: Bryce Dessner: El Charco del Ingenio [3:04]
RECORDING: El Chan
SOURCE: Deutsche Grammophon
INFO: dgfrance.lnk.to/ElChan
ARTIST: Katia & Marielle Labeque
WORK: Bryce Dessner: Points of Light [2:50]
RECORDING: El Chan
SOURCE: Deutsche Grammophon
INFO: dgfrance.lnk.to/ElChan
ARTIST: Katia & Marielle Labeque
WORK: Bryce Dessner: Four Winds [2:01]
RECORDING: El Chan
SOURCE: Deutsche Grammophon
INFO: dgfrance.lnk.to/ElChan
ARTIST: Katia & Marielle Labeque
WORK: Bryce Dessner: Four Winds [1:21]
RECORDING: El Chan
SOURCE: Deutsche Grammophon
INFO: dgfrance.lnk.to/ElChan
ARTIST: Katia & Marielle Labeque, Orchestre de Paris, Matthias Pintscher
WORK: Bryce Dessner: Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra -Third Movement [10:40]
RECORDING: El Chan
SOURCE: Deutsche Grammophon | Due April 5, 2019
INFO: dgfrance.lnk.to/ElChan
ARTIST: eighth blackbird
WORK: Bryce Dessner: Murder Ballades: Dark Holler [:40]
RECORDING: Filament
SOURCE: Cedille Records CDR 90000 157
INFO: cedillerecords.org
ARTIST: Katia & Marielle Labeque, Bryce Dessner and David Chalmin, guitars
WORK: Bryce Dessner: Haven [8:02]
RECORDING: El Chan
SOURCE: Deutsche Grammophon
INFO: dgfrance.lnk.to/ElChan
ARTIST: Katia & Marielle Labeque
WORK: Bryce Dessner: Coyote [1:41]
RECORDING: El Chan
SOURCE: Deutsche Grammophon
INFO: dgfrance.lnk.to/ElChan
ARTIST: Katia & Marielle Labeque
WORK: Bryce Dessner: Pool of El Chan [2:18]
RECORDING: El Chan
SOURCE: Deutsche Grammophon
INFO: dgfrance.lnk.to/ElChan
ARTIST: Katia & Marielle Labeque
WORK: Bryce Dessner: Mountain [2:22]
RECORDING: El Chan
SOURCE: Deutsche Grammophon
INFO: dgfrance.lnk.to/ElChan
