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STRINGS REWORKS

London, 2024

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French composer Mathieu Karsenti has just released his latest solo work, Strings Reworks, with the intention of giving himself a different perspective on some of his past works, and to create a parallel reality of what they could have been. It is Karsenti’s sixteenth release, and looks at his works for violin, viola and cello — all written between 2017 and 2021. Throughout his solo career, Karsenti has constantly tried to surprise himself and his listeners, and String Reworks is no exception. As with most of Karsenti’s string works, many of the pieces have been performed by violinist Violeta Vicci, however the album also features the playing of Jordan Ann Martone and Tristan Horne — two other frequent collaborators.

 

Karsenti’s work has always been multi-layered and counterpoint based — as opposed to a harmonic/melodic approach for instance. The idea of voices interplaying between each other is central to his approach to music, and freeform melodic lines coexisting together is once again a pillar to the composer’s project. Inspired by the collages of Rauschenberg, Hockney and Schitters, Strings Reworks is the composer’s own take on musical collage, and these are so well executed, that no one could guess what the starting point was — in fact, each of these pieces ends up as a cohesive work and most will experience a feeling of the unknown and a new life being brought to the composer’s music. This shows the great creative mind of Karsenti, capable of recycling ideas and bringing novelty to them. “Resilience 2024” is contemplative, a quality that much of Karsenti’s music often carries; here the violin slowly develops its musical intention, ethereally. “Cello Prayers”, seems a return to some of Karsenti’s earlier style of composing, with less motion and again, more contemplation. “Decoupage” is meditative whilst maintaining the multiplicity of the voice movements and “Agité” creates a nice dialogue between each collage of strings.The composer’s choice, at times, of moving away from his usual rhythmical flowing style, to something more percussive is also inspiring, and demonstrates a wish to progress and try new things. Karsenti’s work for strings is juxtaposed with found sounds, electronic percussion and sonic manipulations. “Untitled” for instance, introduces a rhythmic element often absent from the composer’s music. Providing the work with an urban quality, and contrasting with the elegant and exotic melodic material of the strings. “In Motion” balances several rhythmic pulses at different tempi creating that slow wavering motion, and “Airborn” features sounds and noises, as well as percussive elements.Strings are a central element to Karsenti’s compositional style — and have been omnipresent since the beginning of his solo projects. However, as they have evolved, so has the approach to composing and through these reworks, there is perhaps an intention of going back to the past, and actualising some of the works with Karsenti’s current perception of sound and music. “Vastness” has a sense of urbanisation, and whilst still textural — as much of Karsenti’s works — it is pulsating too; strings add accents rather than constitute the basis of the musical work. “Quartetish” almost reveals an influence coming from the worlds of trip-hop and electronic music, and “Something Once Blue” even surprises with soulful elements!

 

To illustrate String Reworks, Karsenti has asked fellow designers and visual artists to create artworks in resonance with his musical intentions. The result is a collection of stunning images perfectly in line with the music and released with each single. Strings Reworks looks at multiple past projects, and blends them altogether in a new, retrospective set of pieces. It is a way to look at what the composer has achieved, as well as creating new works from existing material — and an opportunity to show the composer’s own musical evolution, as often, through applying visual concepts to music. Working on Strings Reworks has enabled Karsenti to break from some of the habits that he had developed as a composer, and create something new, distinct from the act of composing, and as always a unique piece of work.

© 2024 Doug Thomas. All Rights Reserved.

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