Concerto Mediterraneo et oeuvres pour Mandoline et Orchestre

Description

The present disc brings together four concertante works for mandolin composed by Vladimir Cosma between 2014 and 2025, the result of his collaboration with Vincent Beer-Demander. They are recorded by his dedicatee, accompanied by symphonic orchestras such as the Romanian Philharmonic Orchestra, Les Archi della Filarmonica di Torino, and the Camera del Sud, under the direction of the composer. The "Concerto Mediterranéo" for mandolin and orchestra in three movements constitutes a major work in the mandolin repertoire. Between shadow and light, between exuberant joy, melancholy, and elegiac sentiment, it serves as a summary of this luminous lyricism characteristic of the south, which so often illuminates the music of Vladimir Cosma. The "Fantaisie concertante" for mandolin and string orchestra features four movements where virtuosity and technical prowess are present but remain strictly subordinate to the expressive intent and poetic evocation of each musical tableau: "Tango des confidences," "Mazurka de Paris," "Romance de Tom et Becky," "Pizzicato du tueur." The "Suite populaire" for mandolin, accordion, and string orchestra, composed of six dances, whose form, melodic inventiveness, and breathless rhythm bring them closer to Béla Bartók's "Romanian Dances," relies on a corpus of popular themes by Vladimir Cosma, who, like Heitor Villa-Lobos, prefers to invent an imaginary folklore. He thus assigns each movement a unique color that takes the listener on a journey from Transylvania to Italy, passing through Provence and the Marseille region, which is so dear to the composer.