Christian Vasseur is a classically trained musician on both classical guitar and lute.
The album Alam is a collection of pieces on 14-string arch lute. The 11 pieces on the album are from a 16 year old improvisation recording session, though the music has an overall structured sound. The songs are build from returning patterns that could easily be composed instead of improvised. The classical training that Vasseur followed plays a major role in his work, though there is also room for a more modern approach. The returning patterns indicate an influence from folk and pop music.
As a whole this album shows a talented musician, but for me it lacks the adventure.
From a complete other level is the album Poèmes Saturniens, where Vasseur chooses to play the guitar instead. Besides the guitar he also uses soft vocals and humming as an ingredient for the different pieces here.
The improvised pieces on this album are from a complete different character than those on Alam. Where Alam was based on returning patterns Poèmes Saturniens is free music.
Not only in the play it’s free, also the feeling it leaves is one of freedom, but also sadness shows up in the music. An overall melancholy takes over the mood.
With the fragile guitar playing Vasseur takes us on an emotional journey.
As happens so often this album also got quite some plays during my daily train travels to and from work. What surprised me with this album how the fast passing landscape fits very well to the notes played. The music makes everything slow down. Reminders from the German TV film Heimat: Eine Deutsche Chronik came to mind. A down to earth experience about real people living their lives taking it with the joy and the sadness, the love and the pain, birth and death.
This association makes Poèmes Saturniens an album really worth trying.
If I have to compare Alam and Poèmes Saturniens I can’t say this is a really easy task. They both have their own character and mood. Though, I myself prefer the more experimental character of Poèmes Saturniens. The freedom lures me more into it and there is more to discover.
But both albums together are a lovely introduction to Christian Vasseurs music.
Alam: 7
Poèmes Saturniens: 8,5 |
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Read all about and by Sietse van Erve
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