CANCELLED | j(A)zz! | Roman Britschgi Quartett - Moto (AT)
- Melissa Coleman - cello
- Oscar Antoli - clarinet
- Christian Bakanic - accordion
- Roman Britschgi - double bass
The sculptor, composer and bassist, who grew up in central Switzerland, lives in Vienna and has created a remarkable piece of work. A refreshing collection of compositions based on Jewish and Turkish music interpreted by a chamber music quintet. Where Samech, Kolsimcha or John Zorn's Masada String Trio stop, they combine a variety of traditions into fresh and exciting new music.
Notions (Lotus Records / Harmonia Mundi), their first release, is a suggestive song cycle based on texts from the 2,000 page autobiographical notes by Ernst F. Brod. Brod was forced to flee Austria as a Jew and Socialist in 1938, first to Turkey and then to the United States in 1947. His mother and brother remained in Austria, but were expropriated, deported and murdered.
Britschgi’s Notions appears as a musically multifaceted sculpture, about a free and critical spirit, about willpower & doubt and about a person who, despite all the resistance in National Socialist Austria, followed his intellect and his feelings.
In his new album, entitled Moto (which means in Italian walking, movement), Britschgi summarizes his experience in the architectures, fine arts and music. "Just as space is the basic element of architecture, so is the time the basis of music."