Azul

Description

Azul is the Spanish word for "blue," but also the contemplative title of the Cello Concerto by Argentine composer Osvaldo Golijov, which is the centerpiece of this album. It is also a word rich in meaning, deriving from Arabic to denote lapis lazuli. This concerto was premiered in 2006 by Yo-Yo Ma and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. But here Yo-Yo Ma teams up with The Knights, an orchestral ensemble based in Brooklyn, which describes itself as "a collective orchestra with variable geometry, dedicated to transforming the concert experience." Osvaldo Golijov draws inspiration from multiple traditions - Western classical, tango, klezmer, gypsy, and the Middle East. Azul is built around the hyper-accordion (an electronic version of the traditional instrument) and some innovations like a shaker, a telephone, the whistling of the wind. Its inspiration comes from Chilean writer Pablo Neruda, but also from contemplative experiences during the worst violence in Israel, which led him to this almost celestial detachment that is the hallmark of this concerto. Contemporary Iranian pieces, Dvorak's Song to the Moon transcribed for cello, a short haunting piece by Stockhausen, and an astonishing suite by Sufjan Stevens blending orchestra and electronics complete this truly enriching album as it is completely creative and accessible to all.