100 years Simeon ten Holt (1923-2012) - Canto Ostinato - VictorKrausGroup, Emre Sevindik, Michel de Souza, Pit Brosius
For this project, Victor Kraus (Marimba) is joined by 8 of the best musicians from the
Luxembourgish and international music scene: Kae Shiraki (piano), Aniela Stoffels (flute),
Anik Schwall (cello), Max Mausen (clarinet), Guy Frisch (vibraphone), Emre Sevindik
(electronics), Michel de Souza (voice), and Pit Brosius (conductor). In collaboration with
this team, under the name "VictorKrausGroup," he has developed a hybrid project around
the piece "Canto Ostinato" (1976) composed by the Dutch composer Simeon ten Holt. The
project began in 2017 as part of a production by German television NDR at the
international festival "Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern" (Germany), and has
continued through numerous concerts, culminating in 2023 with the recording of an album
in tribute to the composer's 100th anniversary during an artist residency at Trifolion in
Echternach (Luxembourg).
Simeon ten Holt used the term "genetic code" to describe the rhythmic foundation of his
piece. It is a quintuplet that develops "Canto Ostinato" by exploring 106 repeated cells ad
libitum. These 106 cells transform and develop, periodically generating new musical
material. A highlight of the work occurs when a pleasant melody emerges from the texture,
contrasting what came before and suddenly transforming the music into a theme and
accompaniment.
"Canto Ostinato" is a piece that sounds different in each performance because each
musician is free to choose, in the moment, which voice and which notated rhythm note to
play and with what nuance. It is a piece that captivates the ear, making one dream,
meditate, and doze off, a piece that delights, fascinates, and reveals a new musical
treasure with each rendition. Its duration can vary from 60 minutes to 24 hours. With its
powerful musical effects, contrasts, and transformations, it creates a strong emotional
response in the listener through its undulating and hypnotic movement.
Having been performed thousands of times, "Canto Ostinato" is one of the most popular
and frequently performed contemporary Dutch compositions. It represents an exemplary
acoustic experience, easy to listen to (as it is tonal), yet maintaining the suspense of rich
and unprecedented music.
Victor Kraus presents an unprecedented version by adding wind instruments, string
instruments, electronic elements, and vocals to this magnificent piece, originally written for
multiple keyboard instruments. Electronics and vocals play a predominant role in this
project, which is conceived as a hybrid project, an artwork, and a sensual performance,
blending a "classical" work with minimalist transformations, electronic music, singing,
lighting, and recitation of poems by Fernando Pessoa, Gianni Rodari, Gabriel Marcel, and
Anise Koltz.
The realization of this final stage of a project that has been developing since 2017 is part
of an artist residency by the "VictorKrausGroup" at Trifolion in Echternach (Luxembourg),
involving a recording production. The album will be released in October 2023 in digital
format and as a double CD under the label "Donemus Records" (Netherlands). This is a
project that must be discovered!
We were very excited to hear this new version of "Canto Ostinato" as a tribute
to the composer, performed by exceptional musicians, and to celebrate the launch of their
new album, "100 years Simeon ten Holt, Canto Ostinato," on October 7th 2023, at the
"Atrium" hall of Trifolion in Echternach/Luxembourg.
This concert was part of the context of "EchterClassic 2023." It is also a "Show-Case Act"
within the framework of "Classical Meeting 2023" organized by "KulturLX."
The "VICTOR KRAUS GROUP": Since 2018, this label has represented a platform for
creating various projects with different participants. "Canto Ostinato" is the first project
under this name. Other projects are currently being planned and will follow in 2024/2025.
Crew:
Piano - Kae Shiraki
Flute - Aniela Stoffels
Cello - Anik Schwall
Clarinet - Max Mausen
Vibraphone - Guy Frisch
Marimba - Victor Kraus
Electronics - Emre Sevindik
Voice - Michel de Souza
Musical Direction - Pit Brosius
Sound Engineer - Arne Wiegand
Layout and Graphics - Laurent Schmit
Photos - Joe Schweich & Max Mausen
Production - Victor Kraus, Trifolion Echternach
Financial Support Fondation - Loutsch-Weydert, Fondation Indépendance, SACEM
Luxembourg, Ministry of Culture, Trifolion Echternach.
Label - Donemus Records
Special thanks for the good cooperation and/or support:
Maxime Bender, Marco Kraus, and all team members who contributed to the realization of
this project.
MEDIA:
www.victorkraus.com
youtube.com/@victorkraus8900
victorkrausmusic
victor.kraus?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
ALBUM:
open.spotify.com/intl-de/album/1cd2sEFwnrRF45CG7KD4Mh
music.apple.com/lu/album/canto-ostinato/1709146696?l=de-DE