FREIER SCHWEIZER Nr. 77
Tuesday, September 27th, 2022
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Fulminant concert with Swiss premiere

A Swiss premiere followed with the contemporary 'Double Concerto for Guitar and Flute' by Oliver Waespi. Waespi took this opportunity to appear in person in the audience in Küssnacht. Numerous prizes and the performance of his works by renowned formations far beyond Switzerland confirm Waespi's international success as a versatile composer. The flutist Caroline Werba and the guitarist David Talamante delighted the audience with their impressive virtuosity and polished interplay. Together with conductor Urs Bamert, the soloists confidently led the orchestra through the demanding rhythmic and harmonic turns of the three-movement work. As an encore, the two soloists delighted the audience with their sensitive interpretation of the famous 'Libertango' by Astor Piazzolla.

An emotional concert that will be remembered

When music and movement merge

With self-designed choreographies by the dancer and duo and solo performances, the duo "En Cuerdas" and the dancer César Sangrador played an entertaining and colorful evening in the Landenberghaus on July 8th. Rhythms and melodies from a wide variety of styles sounded on cello and guitar during the concert by the Kunstgesellschaft Greifensee

Tango by Piazzolla

The beginning was brilliant: Astor Piazzolla's "Libertango" sounded once more. Subtly played by cellist Cornelia Leuthold and guitarist David Talamante. As in the concert of the trio "Anderscht", the tango, also by Piazzolla, developed into a great firework display. This was followed by the sentimental and plaintive Oblivion by the same composer. And the dancer César Sangrador moved to it. Graceful and unexcited, his body first slowly adapted to the rhythms of the music, then exuberantly quickly. It was a promising start to an evening with some surprises. The unanswered question soon arose as to whether the music was there for the dance or the dance for the music. It doesn't matter, there was a duo on the instruments and a soloist at work, which complemented each other fabulously. With their versatility, combined with the search for the perfect interplay, the cellist, the guitarist and the dancer fascinated in the most diverse genres.

Pièces intimes and agua e vinho

"Quatre pièces intimes" was a piece of contemporary music by Dušan Bogdanovic, a Serbian composer born in 1955. A mixture of jazz, ethno and classic often sounds unusual, but it doesn't sound strange to the ears. The duo “En Cuerdas” played the four short movements with great commitment. One could dream for a few minutes with Egberto Gismonti's “Agua e vinho”. Peppered with many finely nuanced surprises in terms of both melody and rhythm, Atanas Ourkouzounov's "Bulgarian Rock" sounded, developing into a competition between the instruments.

Solo pieces

Cornelia Leuthold played a movement from Johann Sebastian Bach's Cello Suite No. 1. Her very beautiful, modern interpretation was dynamic and full of many small, nuanced details. David Talamante shone in his performance with works for guitar solo from the last century. Southern temperament as well as sensitive moments shaped his impressive playing. This is especially true in the well-known song “Que nadie sepa mi sufrir (La Foule)” by Angel Cabral, once sung by Edith Piaf. And again, the dancer interpreted the content with admirable elegance. There was a lot of poetry in all the interpretations, which was effectively supported by the choreography of the dance.

Premieres

Then two premieres were programmed. Works written especially for the duo – they collaborate with various composers and thus become dedicatees – were heard for the first time. In the "Duo Concertante" the title was the program: the duo harmonized effectively in tempo and melodic changes. The premiere of the composition by Alan Thomas was mysterious and touching. The dancer was in top form with this piece, which marked the end of the concert.

Concert in the residential community

The musicians of the duo "En Cuerdas" were happy to be able to give a concert again (due to the known restrictions, they were even allowed to play twice) and this where they live, namely in Greifensee. The melodies spread longing for distant worlds and the dream of being able to relax. So, it fit right into the time of the upcoming summer holidays. The wonderful combination of guitar and cello allows for moods and emotions ranging from sensual to stirring. It was a work of art for the ears and eyes, played with feeling and commitment by the duo “En Cuerdas”, because the dancer César Sangrador developed expressive choreographies in harmony with the music. It is great that such top artistic achievements are also included in the program of the Kunstgesellschaft Greifensee.

Armin Mühlebach, Nachrischten aus Greifensee

HÖFNER VOLKSBLATT UND MARCH-ANZEIGER
Tuesday, September 20th, 2022
Paul A. Good

Flute and guitar in focus

A multifaceted and musically high-quality autumn concert of the Symphony Orchestra of the Canton of Schwyz

Flute and guitar prevail

This was followed by the double concerto for guitar and flute by the Swiss Oliver Waespi. Soloists were the Swiss flutist Caroline Werba and the Mexican guitarist David Talamante. These two instruments have a broad and expressive tonal range, while the dynamic possibilities are rather limited. It was all the more exciting to hear how Waespi managed to find ways for these instruments to lead the orchestra. The two grandiose protagonists Werba and Talamante brought the necessary qualities and helped the double concerto to be a great success. The three movements were played through without a break, the band-like interplay increasingly infiltrating the whole orchestra, which followed the soloists to a turbulent end.

Strengelbach

A duo that harmonizes with heart and instrument

With its programme, Kulturplatz Strengelbach once again gave the audience a thrilling musical treasure. The duo En Cuerdas, consisting of Cornelia Leuthold (violoncello) and husband David Talamante (guitar), quickly won the hearts of the audience with their sounds. Fine, filigree string sounds melted into each other and conjured up an amazing and brilliant sonority in the Johanneskirche. The audience thanked with appropriate applause. It was an "hour of glory", summed up a concert visitor.

SPS, Zofinger Tagblatt

Rümmingen

Multifaceted world of classics

Cornelia Leuthold (cello) and David Talamante (guitar) during their fascinating performance in the Rümmingen chapel. Photo: Daniela Buch Photo: Weiler Zeitung

Rümmingen (dab). Visitors to the “Kulturo” series on Sunday evening experienced listening pleasure that was as exceptional as it was excellent. The Swiss duo “En Cuerdas”, who artfully combined the sounds of guitar and cello, were guests. The enthusiasm of the audience repeatedly resulted in standing ovations.

In their concert, Cornelia Leuthold (cello) and David Talamante (guitar) spanned the multifaceted world of classical music, beginning with the Sonata for Arpeggione in A minor by Franz Schubert, which was written around 1824 for the bow-guitar of the same name, and ending in a contemporary variation of Russian folklore. In between, one didactic piece after another, such as the main theme from the film "Schindler's List" by John Williams, a composition for orchestra and violin, skillfully translated and interpreted by the two musicians into their own instruments. Polyrhythms and metric modulation characterized the musical language in the 1982 piece "Deep Voices" by Serbian composer Dusan Bogdanovic.

Atanas Ourkouzounov's "Bulgarian Rock" revealed an original approach to rhythms and timbres. A melodious and rhythmic feast was the Cuban Joaquin Nin's 1908 "Spanish Suite", which dedicated each movement to a specific region, expressing the soul of Castile, Murcia, Asturias and Andalusia.

The "Three Moments of the Sea" by the Mexican composer Julio Cesar Oliva, originally written for cello and guitar, in which the fascination for the sea and the magical moments of the force of nature were musically described, and the "Cypriot Suite" by Kemal Belevi had the most vivid effect, in which traditional harmonies and elements of Cypriot music were combined. After two encores with Latin American pieces by Egberto Gismonti and Astor Piazzolla and an overall heartwarming and inspiring performance, the concertgoers were released into the mild spring evening.

Mayor Daniela Meier thanked the municipal council, the sponsors, all supporters and friends of the Kulturo program "Culture in the Chapel" and asked for support for the upcoming season, which begins in October. One does not want to reveal too much yet, said Richard Geppert. A chanson evening with the Swiss artist Nicole Matter entitled "Homesickness for St. Pauli" is planned as the first event.

(Einsiedler Anzeiger, Tue. Dec. 2nd, 2014)

The finest notes struck

In the tenth portrait concert of the Einsiedeln Music School, all friends of chamber music got their money's worth. The duo "En Cuerdas" offered their audience an interesting concert at a high level.

MSE. Under the patronage of the Einsiedeln Music School, the guitar-violoncello duo presented the tenth portrait concert entitled "Bon Voyage a musical journey around the world" in the main hall of the monastery last Saturday. The special chamber music duet features cellist Cornelia Leuthold and guitarist David Talamante. Both teach at the music school and at the Stiftsschule Einsiedeln. A highlight of the evening was certainly the world premiere of the work "Four Moments" by Christian Henking. The happily numerous audience experienced a musically stylish journey through the continents with pieces by composers such as Piazzolla, Villa-Lobos, Ponce (America); Bogdanovic (Africa/Middle East); Schumann, de Falla and Henking (Europe/Switzerland).

Varied music

Through the program, the two instruments appeared in many exciting facets. At the beginning the listener was surprised by fiery tango rhythms. Soon the guitar went into polyphonic passages, only to sensitively accompany the singing cantilenas of the cello. Some of these came out of nowhere, developed a touching intensity and showed the great sound possibilities of the instrument. Overall, the intimacy of the overall sound was able to enchant the guests present, including music students, parents and guests of the Christmas market at the start of Advent.

The ensemble also cultivates contemporary music. This challenged the audience more and skillfully contrasted with the more "cheesy" parts or the world music parts of the program. In this way, opposites merged into a varied evening of chamber music, which was also enriched by the personal and insightful announcements. The two artists gratefully accepted the big final applause and the warm appreciation.

Musical journey around the world

Once again, the Johanneskirche of the EMK became the venue for great music. The duo "En Cuerdas" with Cornelia Leuthold (violoncello) and David Talamante (guitar) presented their program "Bon Voyage - A musical journey around the world" as part of the "Kulturplatz Strengelbach" label. The two multi-award-winning and honored professional musicians have already been very successful in the USA and Switzerland, highly praised by the press. The duo interprets and combines modern works, traditional repertoires and original musical arrangements. Both in terms of technical ability on the instruments and musically.
In terms of empathy, the duo “En Cuerdas” can be described as something very special: as world class.

From Mexico to Japan

Siegfried P. Stich, the organizer of the concerts as part of "Kulturplatz Strengelbach", welcomed the nearly 50 visitors and briefly introduced the "En Cuerdas" duo. With "Libertango" a work by the Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) was heard first. It is no longer the classic tango to dance to, but primarily art music to listen to. Following the models of Stravinsky and Bartók and with the help of jazz, Piazzolla expands the harmonies of the tango. But the essence of the tango is preserved through the generally melancholic mood, the typical syncopated rhythms, harmonic turns and staccato. The piece "Oblivion" by the same composer, a fine, rather romantic melody that announces deep love and melancholy, was interpreted beautifully and sensitively by the duo. The duo also underlined their high musical standards with the piece “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5” by Heitor Villa Lobos (1887–1995). On the one hand it is about the fusion of Brazilian folk music with pop, on the other hand it is a (successful) attempt to use Bach's contrapuntal method and to introduce harmonic elements of the baroque into Brazilian art music. These were wonderfully fine sounds, coming from the depths of the two musicians' souls. Brilliantly presented! The famous song "La Bikina" by Rubén Fuentes (*1926) comes from Mexico, the home of guitarist David Talamante. With "Quatre pièces intimes" by Dusan Bogdanovic (*1955) an important work of contemporary music was heard, to which the cellist Cornelia Leuthold first gave some musicological explanations, including polyrhythms and polymetrics of composition. It is a unique synthesis of classical, jazz and ethnic music. Byzantine (the composer is Serb) and Hebrew musical language is richly processed, in the second and fourth movement there is even a place for pygmy rhythms. But none of that sounded strange, quite the opposite. Modern art music for the highest demands, congenially interpreted by the cellist and the guitarist. Other pearls of the music world followed, such as Robert Schumann's (1810-1856) "Träumerei", the epitome of romantic music. But Claude Debussy (1862–1918) – on the threshold from Impressionism to Modernism – masterfully knows how to create a dreamlike atmosphere with the piece “Rêverie” (daydream, state of mind).

A real pleasure, the interpretation of the duo “En Cuerdas”. It couldn't be more magical and fiery than in "Danza ritual del fuego" by Manuel de Falla (1897-1946). The Japanese folk song "Sakura Sakura" (cherry blossom) is something like the unofficial national anthem and is probably related to Zen culture, the culture of silence. Pentatonic, tremolo effects and bending effects demand great skill from the musicians. Well done, as is the concluding interpretation of a Russian folk song entitled “Two Guitars”.
Klaus Plaar, Zofinger Tagblatt

Even the cheesy is legitimate

Monday, May 7, 2012

LUCERNE

How can contemporary music bridge the gap to the audience which has been ruptured by the radical break of tradition? A path leads through connections to world music and instruments which are closely linked with such traditions.

A prime example offered by the association Fokus Gitarre from Lucerne is the concert of the duo En Cuerdas on Saturday in the Marianischer Saal in Lucerne. After all, the duo makes the bridge already with the alliance of Latin-influenced Mexican guitarist David Talamante and the first-class Lucerne cellist Cornelia Leuthold. The fact that both meet during their studies in San Francisco already shows how new trends of contemporary music are a globalization phenomenon.

Surprising climax

As far back as it goes, shows the program of Ibero-American music of the 20th Century. De Falla's - late romantic - folkloric stylization of the "Seven Spanish Folk Songs" gave the model for all later works. Exemplary was also the advantages of the instrumental combinations of the passionate singing cello tone of Leuthold and the folkloric flavor of the guitar.

The attraction of the program was of course in how these roles have been distributed. The cello extended with pizzicato-playing the guitar which reversely created mysterious timbre space for soloistic elaboration. The excellent guitarist used this space to "sing" hauntingly beautiful on his instrument - a highlight was the Adagio from a sonata by Radames Gnattali who unleashed rattlingly all those Latin rhythms which also ensured all the other works a sturdy musicality. They even gave legitimacy and spice to those pieces which are outspoken cheesy - Manuel Ponce's "Intermezzo" - charmed with parallel-thirds euphony.

A surprising highlight was Astor Piazzolla - "Histoire du Tango", more colorful than the original (with flute). Leuthold made clear through this arrangement for cello that the slippery cabaret sound of the first movement, the dark melancholy of the second and the bullish tango nuevo with regional folklore raises to concert world music.

Exhibition "Mexico reflected in its art"

October 23, Kunstmuseum Bern

Last night the exhibition "Mexico reflected in its art: Prints, Independence and Revolution" was inaugurated at the Bern Art Museum.

The event was attended by Dr. Matthias Frehner, Director of the Bern Art Museum; Valentina Locatelli, Curator of the Exhibition; Patricia Cordoba, artist; and Ambassador Jorge Castro-Valle, who gave speeches on the importance of this event and the works exhibited there, integrated into the museum in 2012 as a donation from Mexico by virtue of the excellent cooperation and friendly relationship that exists between the two countries. The exhibition brings together works by renowned Mexican and foreign artists created in 2010 within the framework of the project "Prints, Independence and Revolution" of the National Print Museum of the National Institute of Fine Arts.

The inauguration was also attended by the cello and guitar duo "En Cuerdas" made up of musicians David Talamante (Mexico) and Cornelia Leuthold (Switzerland) who performed pieces by renowned Mexican and Latin American authors.

The event was attended by around 200 people from the diplomatic, cultural, business and the Mexican community residing in Switzerland.

“The recording sounds really terrific! It is actually as perfect as it can get. Congratulations!”
- Composer and guitarist Dusan Bogdanovic on Quatre Pièces Intimes, (CD 2015) En Cuerdas: MOMENTS.
September 2015

“The combination of cello and guitar is one of the best chamber music formations - David and Cornelia make a great example of it in this album, forming a delightful young duo that plays music from their heart.”
- Sérgio Assad, Latin Grammy Winner on CD (2013) En Cuerdas: Gnattali, Jobim, Pixinguinha, Ramírez, Ponce, Gismonti, De Falla, Piazzolla.
USA - March 2015

"This is a wonderful CD! The repertoire is a nice mix of the familiar, and works that deserve a wider hearing. The Gnattali sonata is a terrific work that is played with life and imagination. The Piazzolla that closes the disc captures all the nuances of the score, and this arrangement with cello works beautifully.
En Cuerdas has a great sense of ensemble – balanced, great give and take, and unified approach to the variety of music on this disc. This recording should be on your playlist."
– Ronald Pearl (guitarist and composer) on En Cuerdas: Gnattali - Jobim - Pixinguinha - Ramirez - Ponce - Gismonti - De Falla - Piazzolla
February 2015

“It is a pleasure that Sonoran talent transcends borders this way."
- Dr. José de Jesús de la Torre Beltrán (Radio Universidad Hermosillo, MX 107.5 FM)
December 2013

“Duo En Cuerdas delighted the audience: Cornelia Leuthold and David Talamante were loudly applauded."
-Punto Latino
CH, October, 2013

“It has been a pleasure to get to know Cornelia Leuthold and David Talamante in the duo En Cuerdas. Their performances are spirited and vigorous – full of devotion.”
- Erik Stenstadvold, Professor of Guitar at the Norwegian Academy of Music.
NO, December 2011)

“Cornelia Leuthold and David Talamante form a great novel duo. The unusual combination of cello and guitar enables colorful and unexpected sounds that should become very popular. En Cuerdas will contribute to the development of this new musical adventure.”
- Sérgio Assad, Latin Grammy Winner.
USA, July 2011