JAMES ENSOR SUITE - Suite nr. 2
by Frédéric Devresse
Devreese evidently took his inspiration from a number of well known paintings by the Belgian artist James Ensor, like the Intocht van Christus in Brussel (Entry of Christ into Brussels) – in fact this painting was the inspiration behind his decision to use a brass quintet. Without naming specific paintings, the titles of the other movements refer to themes typical of Ensor’s imagery such as masks and caricatures.
The Sketches, with their staccato obsession, are in a way Stravinskyan.
The Caricatures in ‘tempo di valse’ begin with a light hopping: the staccato notes of the opening are presented as duplets in a triple waltz time. They are soon overtaken, however, by the fast waltz and then slow waltz that follow.
With a little imagination, the listener can visualise the original film image in the Choral: Ensor’s self portrait gradually transforming into his own skeleton. That story is told by the portentous chorale chords, including the endlessly long final notes.
In Masks, Devreese retrieves the staccato idea from the beginning of the suite. In the ‘tempo di marcia’, interspersed with fragments of the Belgian anthem and – with a certain irony – the suite comes to a close.
This work pokes fun at the hypocrisy of the man behind his mask, his permanent mask – not just at carnival, but always there, as in one of Ensor’s paintings.
____________
This note compliments of Yves Knockaert
from SYMPHONIC BRASS / THE MUSIC OF FREDERIC DEVREESE
WSR O68 (C&P) by Berate Music BVBA
by Frédéric Devresse
Devreese evidently took his inspiration from a number of well known paintings by the Belgian artist James Ensor, like the Intocht van Christus in Brussel (Entry of Christ into Brussels) – in fact this painting was the inspiration behind his decision to use a brass quintet. Without naming specific paintings, the titles of the other movements refer to themes typical of Ensor’s imagery such as masks and caricatures.
The Sketches, with their staccato obsession, are in a way Stravinskyan.
The Caricatures in ‘tempo di valse’ begin with a light hopping: the staccato notes of the opening are presented as duplets in a triple waltz time. They are soon overtaken, however, by the fast waltz and then slow waltz that follow.
With a little imagination, the listener can visualise the original film image in the Choral: Ensor’s self portrait gradually transforming into his own skeleton. That story is told by the portentous chorale chords, including the endlessly long final notes.
In Masks, Devreese retrieves the staccato idea from the beginning of the suite. In the ‘tempo di marcia’, interspersed with fragments of the Belgian anthem and – with a certain irony – the suite comes to a close.
This work pokes fun at the hypocrisy of the man behind his mask, his permanent mask – not just at carnival, but always there, as in one of Ensor’s paintings.
____________
This note compliments of Yves Knockaert
from SYMPHONIC BRASS / THE MUSIC OF FREDERIC DEVREESE
WSR O68 (C&P) by Berate Music BVBA