'Sonico' with works by Eduardo Rovira
The spring edition of the Festival van Vlaanderen Mechelen was roughly halfway through on Saturday. We caught this passionate and atmospheric concert by the internationally composed ensemble 'Sonico', with roots in Belgium. Tango music is known throughout the world. The Argentine style is characterized, among other things, by its melodiousness and has undergone a rich and dynamic development. Eduardo Rovira and Astor Piazzolla belonged to the generation that upgraded traditional tango. Independently of each other, they developed a modern, more complex form incorporating elements of jazz and classical music, known as tango nuevo. Yet their positions and approaches differ. While Piazzolla was a man of the world with commercial inclinations, Rovira led a more withdrawn life and took exploration a step further. His compositions contain more complex structures and pronounced modern harmonies. This made his music less popular with the general public, but highly appreciated by musicians and connoisseurs. He was a fantastic bandoneon player, the instrument that defines tango's characteristic melancholic sound. It therefore receives prominent placement in his compositions. Time for a revival.
Moved by mastery
In his introduction and explanation, Ariel Eberstein tells us more about himself and the creation of Sonico. He has played in numerous large and small musical ensembles, but always felt like something was missing—he wanted to create something of his own. Far from the avant-garde tango music of Eduardo Rovira, he has taken on the task of rescuing the work of this somewhat forgotten bandoneon player and composer, who lived in the shadow of another great master, Astor Piazzolla, from obscurity.
In 2015, this Argentine double bassist and alumnus of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels founded the 'Sonico' project. This came after he discovered a composer who seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth. It is essentially the life's work of this Brussels ensemble to bring Rovira's legacy back to life through research, recordings, and international tours, giving him the recognition this enigmatic and innovative musician/composer deserves.
Since then, the collective has been the only group worldwide dedicated exclusively to reviving and performing Rovira's oeuvre. Around him he gathered some top-tier musicians: pivotal bandoneon player Lysandre Donoso, a virtuoso capable of producing such a flood of sounds and changes at often dizzying tempos. Also Alejandro Schwarz on guitar, Christian Impaziente on oboe, and vocalist Claudia Pannone.
'Argentine Glow' became a tribute to a unique musical personality who breathed new life into traditional tango. The program that Sonico presents is not made up of the easiest compositions. Yet the creation and shaping of sound is in their DNA. Tango music is not only for dancing to, but thanks to its powerful sound projection, where subtle nuances and color shadings contribute to the refinement of the interpretation, it is also meant to be listened to intensely and in silence. Rovira's style combines strength with subtlety, making his music both dynamic and refined. With vocalist Claudia Pannone you also experience emotional depth. She sings about the most traditional of all themes: love for a partner and a country. The struggle between surrender and autonomy. Its poetry lies in carefully considered precision. You listen to the rhythm of the sounds, her intonation and the rhythm of meaning, and how these two become intertwined. You are moved by the unfathomable beauty of each composition, an intangible phenomenon. In short: a captivating experience.
