Nature

Nature (2020)
Chamber music for (bass) clarinet
musicians
Fie Schouten bass clarinet, clarinet, bassethorn
Jelte Althuis bass clarinet, Tatiana Koleva percussion, Eva van de Poll violoncello
music by
Calliope Tsoupaki, Olivier Messiaen, Jonathan Harvey, Kaija Saariaho, Georges Aperghis, Michael Finnissy
label: SOL Classics (SOL 010)

online streaming, download:

order via info@bassclarinet.nl
borrow via Muziekweb

1) Calliope Tsoupaki: Calling (2015) *
bass clarinet
2) Olivier Messiaen: Abîme des oiseaux (1940)
bassethorn
3) Jonathan Harvey: Cirrus Light (2012)
clarinet
4) Kaija Saariaho: Oi Kuu (1990) – Kaija Saariaho
bass clarinet, cello
5) Georges Aperghis: Façade-Trio (1998)
2 x bass clarinet, percussion
6 Michael Finnissy: Mankind ReMix (2020) *
bass clarinet solo

*dedicated to Fie Schouten
Fie Schouten (1-6) Jelte Althuis (5) Eva van de Poll (4) Tatiana Koleva (5)

Calliope Tsoupaki: you create a magical space with your sound, almost plastic, tangible and sensual

Anna Harvey (daughter of Jonathan Harvey): you have really captured that spacious, other-worldly quality which I love about this piece

Georges Aperghis: “..c’est un grand plaisir de vous écouter la (Façade-Trio) jouer…”

Erik Voermans (Het Parool) 18.3.21: “Grenzeloos mooie klanken…mooie cd.” lees verder

Vanessa Davis (The Clarinet, USA) aug21: The diversity of works presented combined with Schouten’s expert performance on bass clarinet, basset horn and soprano clarinet make this album is a must-listen for all connoisseurs of low clarinet and its music… Schouten’s ability to use timbral definition to highlight the growth of intensity in repeated passages creates a sense of movement much like floating…We hear Schouten and Althuis bringing life to this intense and emotional conversation between two bass clarinets. read all

Thea Derks:
great performance & recording technique

TheWholeNote (Max Christie) febr21:
Fie Schouten makes the bass clarinet ring with a gorgeous sound….Messiaen.. at a perfect fourth below the original pitch, desolation is powerfully rendered by the lower voice…Saariaho.. beautifull…Aperghis…stunning… sounds like a dialogue of mad twins..Finnissy…right in Schouten’s wheelhouse: singing tone and powerful expression.” read all

Holly Moors (Moors Magazine): Een juweel van een album, dat doet verlangen naar de live optredens. Maar het album is voorlopig een heel mooi alternatief. verder lezen

Henk Jansen (De Klarinet)
de cello en dubbeltonen in de basklarinet. De twee instrumenten passen bijzonder goed bij elkaar. Samen creëren ze een verstilde klankwereld die fascinerend is in haar ongrijpbaarheid verder lezen

Ben Taffijn (Nieuwe Noten):
“..Op dit (basklarinet) instrument geldt zij (Fie Schouten) inmiddels als autoriteit, wat betekent dat we hier uitvoeringen krijgen op het allerhoogste niveau…” verder lezen

Klassikraadio Tallinn, Estland
1.6.2021 link interview+fragment

recording Andreas Fröba track (1,2,3,6), Arjan van Asselt (4,5)
mix, master Arjan van Asselt
Orgelpark Amsterdam, The Netherlands (4,5)
& SBA+C, Italy (1,2,3,6)
recorded in September 2020
photos Andreas Fröba
portrait photo Fie Schouten Elisabeth Melchior
artwork Liluc design
idea & realisation Fie Schouten
supported by Sena