Zweige by Harald Kimmig, Ernesto Rodrigues, Miguel Mira, Guilherme Rodrigues, Alvaro Rosso & Vasco Trilla

Recorded by Joaquim Monte on February 28th 2017 at Namouche Studio, Lisbon.
Mix, master and graphic design by Carlos Santos.
Production by Ernesto Rodrigues.

REVIEWS

O disco “Zweige” junta um improvável sexteto, onde um quinteto de cordas conta com a companhia da percussão. Participam aqui Harald Kimmig (violino), Ernesto Rodrigues (viola), Miguel Mira (do Motion Trio, violoncelo), Guilherme Rodrigues (violoncelo), Alvaro Rosso (contrabaixo) e Vasco Trilla (percussão). Apesar da configuração presumir uma vertente de música de câmara, raras vezes o grupo evoca momentos de puro classicismo. Ao longo de dois temas o sexteto improvisa livremente tentando procurar caminhos comuns, a partir de pontas soltas, ideias que vão surgindo, comunicação e conflito, respostas e desafios. Numa mescla de sons diversos das cordas, entre as cordas graves e agudas, entre os sons prolongados com o arco e o pizzicato, vai crescendo uma massa sonora comum, complementada com os apontamentos subtis da percussão. Nuno Catarino (Bodyspace.net)

Turning to some other recent releases from Creative Sources, specifically ensembles featuring bowed strings, Zweige presents a natural successor to Blattwerk, as discussed here in June. Indeed, Zweige was recorded (in Lisbon, last February) the day after Blattwerk, and augments the quintet of the latter (Harald Kimmig, Ernesto & Guilherme Rodrigues, Miguel Mira & Vasco Trilla) with Alvaro Rosso on bass, making for a string quintet (with two cellos) plus percussion. It even, likewise, features two similar length tracks. (Zweige also predates the Lisbon String Trio series, at least as documented so far, in which Ernesto Rodrigues & Mira are joined by Rosso, by a couple of weeks.) These combinations continue to fascinate, and not only does Zweige augment the quintet on Blattwerk, but it's mixed (by Carlos Santos) to have rather more presence: High end to low end to various quiet scrapings & subtle percussive rattles, it's all easier to hear. Describing Zweige as a "natural successor" was not merely a turn of phrase either, as naturalistic themes maintain — thus appearing to retain continuity with Kimmig's album Raw (on Leo, discussed here January 2017) — including those sometimes frustrating interrogations of audibility. (And I do further wish that these various words deriving from "nature" weren't already so fraught with other meanings, from nudism to anti-immigrant politics. That makes it difficult to be succinct, but the reference here is generally to biology & ecology.) Various origins & inspirations for sound blend, but continue to suggest trees & forests & their inhabitants, living & otherwise. (And I feel sheepish for not having understood the title on Blattwerk as an explicit reference in this regard. This is not the first time I've approached a compound German word via its two parts, rather than realizing that it was already a well-known term: I've come to anticipate neologisms, I guess, including, as in this case, inappropriately.) As a sequel from the next day, it's hard to say that Zweige breaks new ground, but I do find it easier to hear, and therefore appreciate — hence furthering exploration of these string-based ensembles: Some of the background creaking might even present as some sort of wind instrument, for instance, as all manner of subtle sounds are coaxed from the strings & rubbed percussion. (The notion of a flat tapestry, varying in waves, also continues to apply here, as the interaction never becomes terribly layered despite its shifts.) [...] 13 March 2018. Todd McComb's Jazz Thoughts

Continuing the estaethics of the wonderful "Blattwerk", Vasco recorded two more percussion plus strings albums owth the Guilherme and Ernesto Rodrigues et consortes. "Zweige" in fact are recorded with a nearly the same personnel, except that the double bass is added.
The album contains two tracks: "Zweige I" and "Zweige II". "Zweige I" combines a lot of pizzicato work with bowing, but is also very varying in moods. After ten minutes bowing over helms the tune, keeping, however, the very meditative and peaceful climates. Vasco himself "bows", but around the 15th minute starts to employ genuine drumming. This is actually the most interesting part of the track for me quiet, minimalist and tranquil, but extremely tense and beautiful. "Zwiege II" have more bowing, but also more drumming. The mood, however, is similar, very meditative and silent. On the whole record the interactions of the violin, viola and two cellos are actually amazing. the result has nothing to do with a tranditional, or even traditional contamporary string quartet. After the tenth minute of "Zweige II" an explosion of sounds take place, nishing with the return to the land of ultraslow meditation. The role of Vasco and Alvaro, although discrete, is here absolutely crucial. Maciej Lewenstein

Zweige I. Struny poddawane procesowi intensywnego ostrzenia. Rezonans na talerzach. Krok za krokiem, czar urywanych fraz, pomruki kontrabasu, dzwonki. Aż gęsto od dźwięków. Odrobina uzasadnionego drummingu Trilli. Narracja jest delikatna akustycznie, ale pełna emocji i niezbędnej dynamiki. Struny pozostają w permanentnym dialogu. Swobodnie improwizowana kameralistyka z pewną dozą abstrakcyjnej psychodelii. Już w 5 minucie szóstka muzyków udaje się w szumiące szuwary, z ciszą u progu, w atmosferze mięsistej polerki. Akcenty rytmoidalne na suchym werblu. Molekularny taniec ze szczyptą intrygującej sonorystyki (zwłaszcza ze strony mniejszych strunowców). Akustycznie urocze, dramaturgicznie błyskotliwe! – notuje recenzent w pierwszej fazie ekstazy. Od 8 minuty improwizacja zdaje się systematycznie narastać (kierunek eskalacja?), ale pośród instrumentalistów nie ma na to pełnej zgody. Wybór zejścia do krypty, wydaje się dalece słusznym rozwiązaniem. Cisza na gryfach, półmrok, ktoś uderza w struny i raczej nie jest to Vasco. Ten ostatni bowiem drży i szeleści. Zapasy z dramaturgicznym zaniechaniem, zawieszaniem narracji. Piękna muzyka (13-14 min.)! Rezonanse i mezalianse! Doom dark micro sonore! Focus on one sound! Pięć strunowców i ten szósty też jakby strunowiec – nierozpoznawalne źródła pojedynczych dźwięków! Wspaniale! Wybrzmiewanie w kolektywnym rezonansie!
Zweige II. Muzycy pozostają w krypcie. Szum wiatru pomiędzy strunami i w arsenale Trilli. Cięciwy łuków napinają się. W oddali stuprocentowo akustyczny dark ambient. Jakby kolejny stopień muzycznego wtajemniczenia. Mroczne dźwięki dronizują się. To zapewne okrwawiony smyczek na gryfie kontrabasu. Vasco stawia zasieki, wiolonczele pętlą się, brną w kierunku skowytu. Altówka i skrzypce czynią podobnie. Cały sekstet pląsa po zroszonej ciepłym napalmem wiosennej łące. Dzwonki zapraszają na celebrację chwili. Improwizacyjne wyniesienie?! Choć na studyjnej scenie raczej … tłumienie emocji. Niektóre struny drżą, inne rezonują i budują separatywne drony. 10 minuta, to wzrost aktywności, więcej dynamiki, narracja robi się gęsta, jak na początku płyty. Muzycy popadają wręcz w galop! More than one drum! I jakże błyskotliwy stop! Dzwonki, echa potu na strunach. Doom ambient! Pięknie! Znów umiar wygrywa z nadmiarem, czyniąc całą płytę naprawdę wyjątkową. Słychać, jak struny oddychają, a przestrzeń wokół nich pulsuje ciszą. Andrzej Nowak (Trybuna Muzyki Spontanicznej)

The Creative Sources core string improvisers of violist Ernesto Rodrigues, cellist Guilherme Rodrigues, cellist Miguel Mira, and double bassist Alvaro Rosso, with frequent collaborator percussionist Vasco Trilla, are joined by German violinist Harald Kimmig (Trio Kimmig) for a dynamic album that fluctuates from acoustic lowercase to rapid pointillistic improv. (Squidco)

Trilla joins on Zweige (branches in German) a free-improvised, chamber session with German violinist Harald Kimmig, and fellow Portuguese comrades viola player Ernesto Rodrigues, cellists Miguel Mira and Guilherme Rodrigues with Uruguayan double bass player Alvaro Rosso. The album was recorded at Namouche Studio, Lisbon, in February 2017.
Obviously, the two “Zweige” pieces explore many aspects of extended bowing techniques, including by Trilla himself who bows the cymbals, careful, investigative timbral search and delicate, nuanced interplay. The role of Trilla is crucial in holding together and anchoring these strings-based textures. On the first piece he acts like a shaman that adds subtle, ritualistic bells and other percussive and bowing sounds, contrasting the restless and tensed but minimalist interplay of the strings instruments. The second piece is more energetic, but keeps a minimalist atmosphere. The role of Trilla is more crucial. He now acts as a sorcerer that mirrors with with his delicate, rattling percussive sounds the multilayered, resonant gestures of the strings instruments, keeping these nervous bowed sounds linked together, and channel the stringed commotion into a meditative coda. Eyal Hareuveni (The Free Jazz Collective)

Ernesto Rodrigues (Lisbon, August 29th 1959) has been playing the violin / viola for 50 years and in that time has played all genres of music ranging from contemporary music to free jazz and free improvisation, live and in the studio.
The relationship with his instruments is focused in sonic and
textural elements as well as the use of extended techniques.

creativesourcesrec.com
ernesto-rodrigues.blogspot.pt
erdiscography.blogspot.pt