Saans (Breath): Reena Esmail - Suzana Bartal, Vijay Gupta, Peter Myers
Saans (Breath), by Reena Esmail (2017)
Suzana Bartal, piano
Vijay Gupta, violin
Peter Myers, cello
***
“I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am.” ― Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
***
The breath makes love real. Reena was inspired to write Saans by the story of the composer Cesar Franck, who dedicated his soaring violin sonata for his friend Eugene Ysaye. The composer and the violinist sightread the sonata on the night of Ysaye's wedding.
As Reena was completing her Clarinet Concerto, she saw that the 2nd movement of it would be the perfect wedding present for her dear friend and colleague - the amazing pianist Suzana Bartal - and her husband, the composer Eric Tanguy. While Suzana's wedding took place in Paris, Saans was being premiered in Los Angeles.
Two years later, Suzana, Peter and I performed Saans at The Wallis Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills - and the next day, Reena and I married each other.
***
Created by Louis Ng
Filmed at University of La Verne, February 17, 2020
Пікірлер: 13
Brilliant! I came here after hearing this piece on KDFC's Classical California Ultimate Playlist. Beethoven is great, but its refreshing to hear something relatively new, especially when performed so well!
@guptaviolin
10 ай бұрын
Thanks so much for listening! We loved making this recording.
Hearing this, my body and mind had such a strong physical reaction. I found myself able to do nothing more than to just breathe. I'd forgotten what that feels like and I'm so thankful to be reminded of it. Bravo to the performers and the composer for this gem!
Beautiful!!
What a unique composition, and an awesome rendition !! Loved everything about this piece - how the subtle elements of Indian music got so well fused into a contemporary western fabric, the sensuous heart-wrenching vibratos, the not-so-predictable modulations, and how every note, every phrase and every 'saans' (breath) of harmony got delivered with so much of care and emotion !! Exemplary performance indeed !!
@guptaviolin
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks so much, Ranjan - you'll love more of Reena's works, which are rooted in Hindustani classical music crossing over to western ensembles. We're about to release another trio she recently wrote, so please stay tuned!
Beautiful and very relaxing music
@guptaviolin
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks so much!
This is so gorgeous. Is there a recording available?
@guptaviolin
3 ай бұрын
Yes! Our album Breathe is available on Apple Music and Spotify.
Just sumptuous....
@guptaviolin
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you, dear J Michael!
This one motif at around 2:20-2:29 reminds me of some pop song I've heard on the radio that I don't know the name of, maybe someone knows it