5598  Review of Ensemble Hyperion at Brussels Tango

Date: Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:16:46 -0400
From: Shahrukh Merchant <shahrukh@shahrukhmerchant.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] Review of Ensemble Hyperion at Brussels Tango
Festival
To: tango-l@mit.edu

By a quirk of fate (and OK, some personal schedule manipulation on my
part :-)), I happened to be at the Brussels Tango Festival, which just
ended yesterday.

I may (or not ... since it would take a while to write ...) make the
time to post some observations on the festival, but until then, I feel I
really need to mention the "featured orchestra" of the festival,
ENSEMBLE HYPERION -- see their website at www.ensemblehyperion.com
(mostly in Italian). (They are not to be confused with the similarly
named "Hyperion Ensemble," which is a chamber music ensemble out of
Salzburg.)

Undoubtedly, they are well-known to European festival goers, but I had
never heard them (nor, I admit, of them). They are based out of Italy
and are simply one of the best Tango orchestras I have ever danced to
(and sacrilege though it may be to say, better than most out of Buenos
Aires, at least the ones that play at Milongas there)! (Those who know
me know that I do not make superlative recommendations like this
lightly, if at all.)

Their actually play SEVERAL golden-era orchestras convincingly
(especially Pugliese, but Di Sarli and Donato as well, to name just a
few), and are excellent musicians.

The ensemble comprised one bandoneon (Alfredo Marcucci, who is really
excellent and a passionate player), two violins, piano, guitar,
transverse flute and bass. Franco Luciani joined in on some pieces with
harmonica (gives Hugo Diaz a run for his money ...). They did NOT have a
vocalist (which admittedly would be a very tricky addition--perhaps they
are smart in not including one), but I did not really miss that since
the DJ'ed music had an abundance of the classic vocals.

I would suggest that North American and Asian Tango organizers consider
inviting them, or coordinate amongst each other (okay, so I'm an
idealist :-)) so they can justify a North American or Asian regional tour.

Also, while I have not heard any of their recordings on CD, Tango DJs
may wish to review their recordings to add to the very thinly populated
genre of "convincing modern recordings of classic-era arrangements."

Shahrukh

Date: Thu, 9 Apr 2009 16:03:42 +0200
From: Hippy Bogus <hippybogus@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Review of Ensemble Hyperion at Brussels Tango
Festival
To: tango-l@mit.edu, Shahrukh Merchant <shahrukh@shahrukhmerchant.com>
<c8bb60f10904090703o5d0c58a0v5725c0bd745c5126@mail.gmail.com>

Hi Shahrukh,

I second your opinion. I attended the first four days of the festival, and I
thought the musicians on Friday and Saturday night were excellent, and in
particular Hyperion and Alfredo Marcucci.

Hyperion also performed a free concert at the Grand Place (or Central
Square) of Brussels the next evening, but I unfortunately missed it.

What did you think about the festival organization and the level of
performances? It was my first proper tango festival (having danced for 2
years mostly in Western Europe).

Abrazos
Hippy


On Tue, Apr 7, 2009 at 11:16 PM, Shahrukh Merchant <
shahrukh@shahrukhmerchant.com> wrote:

> By a quirk of fate (and OK, some personal schedule manipulation on my
> part :-)), I happened to be at the Brussels Tango Festival, which just
> ended yesterday.
>
> I may (or not ... since it would take a while to write ...) make the
> time to post some observations on the festival, but until then, I feel I
> really need to mention the "featured orchestra" of the festival,
> ENSEMBLE HYPERION -- see their website at www.ensemblehyperion.com
> (mostly in Italian). (They are not to be confused with the similarly
> named "Hyperion Ensemble," which is a chamber music ensemble out of
> Salzburg.)
>
> Undoubtedly, they are well-known to European festival goers, but I had
> never heard them (nor, I admit, of them). They are based out of Italy
> and are simply one of the best Tango orchestras I have ever danced to
> (and sacrilege though it may be to say, better than most out of Buenos
> Aires, at least the ones that play at Milongas there)! (Those who know
> me know that I do not make superlative recommendations like this
> lightly, if at all.)
>
> Their actually play SEVERAL golden-era orchestras convincingly
> (especially Pugliese, but Di Sarli and Donato as well, to name just a
> few), and are excellent musicians.
>
> The ensemble comprised one bandoneon (Alfredo Marcucci, who is really
> excellent and a passionate player), two violins, piano, guitar,
> transverse flute and bass. Franco Luciani joined in on some pieces with
> harmonica (gives Hugo Diaz a run for his money ...). They did NOT have a
> vocalist (which admittedly would be a very tricky addition--perhaps they
> are smart in not including one), but I did not really miss that since
> the DJ'ed music had an abundance of the classic vocals.
>
> I would suggest that North American and Asian Tango organizers consider
> inviting them, or coordinate amongst each other (okay, so I'm an
> idealist :-)) so they can justify a North American or Asian regional tour.
>
> Also, while I have not heard any of their recordings on CD, Tango DJs
> may wish to review their recordings to add to the very thinly populated
> genre of "convincing modern recordings of classic-era arrangements."
>
> Shahrukh
>