Joséphine Olech - Reconnect (Nature and the Modern Man) (2020) [Official Digital Download]

Virtuosity meets authenticity - The flute - link between man and nature. The flute is an ancient symbol for the sounds of nature. As one of the oldest instruments ever – originally crafted from natural materials such as bone or wood – it is considered a means of communication to the elements of nature and the hereafter. With her debut RECONNECT – Nature and the Modern Man, Joséphine Olech uses the magic of her instrument for an exceptional kind of experiment to depict and bring to consciousness the complex relationship between man and nature. Man exploits nature while at the same time viewing it as a form of appeasement, positive energy, or, in some cultures, even a divine element.

In her debut album, the flutist emphasizes this contrast between the mystical, at times even religious connection to nature and the modern age, which is characterized by technology. For Joséphine Olech, the musical sounds of nature are depicted in the works of Debussy, Takemitsu, and Crumb. Introduced by the mystical dimension of Claude Debussy's Six Épigraphes antiques, her debut album features Toru Takemitsu's Toward the Sea III, commissioned by Greenpeace in 1981 for a campaign to protect whales, and Vox Balaenae, inspired by George Crumb's recordings of humpback whale songs. Both works are masterpieces of the 20th century.

At the other end of the sound spectrum lies man-made modernism and technology, represented by two pieces that use electronic or minimal music processes. With Rekindle by Michel von der Aa, Joséphine Olech dares to make the first recording of a flute's combative dialogue with a playback. Steve Reich's Vermont Counterpoint also presents a special challenge: It is a typical work of minimal music, which overlays a total of 12 voices, all played by the French flutist. At the end of the contrasting program, Toru Takemitsu's Le fils des étoiles, based on the music of Eric Satie, is a thoughtful-meditative piece that serves as a question mark: Is man becoming aware of the need to reconnect with nature?

TRACKLIST

1. Joséphine Olech - Six Épigraphes antiques: I. Pour invoquer Pan, dieu du vent d'été (1914)
2. Joséphine Olech - Six Épigraphes antiques: II. Pour un tombeau sans nom (1914)
3. Joséphine Olech - Six Épigraphes antiques: III. Pour que la nuit soit propice (1914)
4. Joséphine Olech - Six Épigraphes antiques: IV. Pour la danseuse aux crotales (1914)
5. Joséphine Olech - Six Épigraphes antiques: V. Pour l'Égyptienne (1914)
6. Joséphine Olech - Six Épigraphes antiques: VI. Pour remercier la pluie au matin (1914)
7. Joséphine Olech - Rekindle for Flute and Soundtrack (2009)
8. Joséphine Olech - Toward the Sea III for Alto Flute and Harp: I. The Night (1989)
9. Joséphine Olech - Toward the Sea III for Alto Flute and Harp: II. Moby Dick (1989)
10. Joséphine Olech - Toward the Sea III for Alto Flute and Harp: III. Cape Cod (1989)
11. Joséphine Olech - Vox Balaenae for Three masked Players: I. Vocalise for the Beginning of Time (1971)
12. Joséphine Olech - Vox Balaenae for Three masked Players: II. Variations on Sea-Time - Sea Theme (1971)
13. Joséphine Olech - Vox Balaenae for Three masked Players: III. Variations on Sea-Time - Archeozoic (1971)
14. Joséphine Olech - Vox Balaenae for Three masked Players: IV. Variations on Sea-Time - Proterozoic (1971)
15. Joséphine Olech - Vox Balaenae for Three masked Players: V. Variations on Sea-Time - Paleozoic (1971)
16. Joséphine Olech - Vox Balaenae for Three masked Players: VI. Variations on Sea-Time - Mesozoic (1971)
17. Joséphine Olech - Vox Balaenae for Three masked Players: VII. Variations on Sea-Time - Cenozoic (1971)
18. Joséphine Olech - Vox Balaenae for Three masked Players: VIII. Sea-Nocturne for the End of Time (1971)
19. Joséphine Olech - Vermont Counterpoint for Flute and Tape (1982)
20. Joséphine Olech - Les Fils des Étoiles for Flute and Harp (1975)



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