When the composer talks to the stone [interview]

Elwira Ślązak and Gabriel Collet are marimba virtuosos. They perform together as Axoum Duo. On 1^st July 2016, in Radziejowice, during the J.Waldorff Summer Festival, the world premiere of the concerto for two marimbas and the symphonic orchestra, under the title Conversation with a Stone, took place. It has been composed by Gabriel Collet. Axoum Duo played the concerto accompanied by the Swietokrzyska Philharmonic in Kielce, conductod by Jacek Rogala. Is the identity of the titles of the concerto and one of the most known verses by Wisława Szymborska accidental? I decided to ask this question to both of the musicians.
 
Polską wersję wywiadu przeczytasz tutaj.
 
Władysław Rokiciński: In one of the interviews, you said that you always were a poetry lover. Is it how it started? So simply?
Gabiel: Since I was a kid, I have been interested in painting. I could sit for hours in the museum and admire works of art, I took painting lessons myself as well. Always, I used to read a lot, so that poetry came to me in a natural way. The sound of recited words is already music for me. Besides, in each language, this „music” is different. When I started to come to Poland and to talk Polish, I was immediately reaching for literature and poetry in the original. When looking for an idea for the Concerto, I looked for a non-musical theme, which would be close to my heart and would allow me to truly express myself artistically.
 
I know the composition under the same title, which however is completely different: it is the music that accompanies the recitation – because it is more a recitation, than singing – of the poem by Wisława Szymborska. The musical work which you composed is purely instrumental, nobody recites, neither sings the text of the poem. It cannot be classified as sung poetry. Weren’t you tempted to go this way?
Gabriel: Definitely not! I wanted to describe poetry by music. I did not want the music to accompany the words, or the words to accompany the music. The poem Conversation with a Stone is an example of poetry so powerful in its expression, that it was clear for me that the text did not have to be recited. The challenge for me was to tell emotions, words, stories happening in poems in the language of music.

The poem “Conversation with a Stone” – although so simple and frugal in words – is a philosophical treatise in the full sense of the word. At the same time, it is a conversation between the lyrical subject of the poem and the title stone. The first is full of straightness and enthusiasm, stubbornly repeats the request. The latter even does not defend the access to itself – it is the unaccessibility as such. How have these roles been cast in music, who is who in it?
Gabriel: It is not explicitly defined up to its very end. I did not stick to the simplest, as it may seem, form, e.g. two marimbas versus the orchestra as the stone. The lyrical subject and the stone „pass” sometimes between one of the marimbas and the orchestra, and sometimes, both marimbas are the subject, and the orchestra – the stone. But in the cadence of the soloists, we can indeed „hear” the dialogue between the lyrical subjest and the stone. The soloists use special leather sticks, which still more emphasize the nature of two „characters”.
 
The two marimbas in the Concerto are the two of you. You are a couple not only on the concert stage, but also in life. It is not a frequent situation. How did it happen? If I may ask you this question...
Gabriel: I do not think it is that rare. We personally know several couples, who work and perform music together. Not only in the world of percussion.
We met while studying at the Conservatory in Paris. What put us together was the passion for chamber music, which had always been a passion for each of us, before we met. We perform solo as well, me, I realize myself often in composing, and Elwira, when performing solo in classical, and not only, projects. Meeting, exchanging and sharing emotions with another artist on stage is much more creative and generate much more emotions and impressions, which can be passed over to the public.
 
Is marimba on the rising tide in the world music?
Gabriel: Absolutely yes!
 
And in what its asset is?
Gabriel: The instrument came to the artistic classical music only in the 40-ties of the last century. In the 50-ties, the marimba became a part of the standard set of percussion instruments. During the last century, the marimba underwent a great transformation both from the point of view of its structure as the instrument, and its role in music.
The timbre of marimba, its captivatingly beautiful sound is a definite asset. Really, it adapts to every kind of music and to various instruments, it is a very rhythmic percussion isntrument, which at the same time can play in a lyrical and melancholic way. It has endless possibilities of expression.
Elwira: As composers and performers in one, we create music in many musical styles. We play in philharmonics, as soloists with orchestras, for example, the contemporary repertoire at such festivals like Warsaw Autumn, but we also write and record music, separately or together, to various visual projects (movies, animation etc.), as well as we take part in projects of popular music.

Does a lot of music is created nowadays for this instrument? Tell us, please, a few words about your competition...
Elwira: The repertoir grows permanently. In the world, many percussionists, who specialize in marimba, compose their own works, in different musical styles.
We think that the “boom” for marimba is still in front of us. Or that it has just come! J
Duos, that cooperate permanently as we do, are not many. Most often, percussionists band together occasionally, for specific so called projects, playing, at the same time, in orchestras, teaching in music schools etc. One of the most known permanent duos is Safri Duo from Denmark, who have done a lot for percussion, marimba and for playing as a duo: Uffe Savery and Morten Friis. They achieved a lot in classical music, performing in best music concert halls of the world, and after that, they started to realize themselves musically in popular music, also with a great success.
 
And what are your plans for the future? I mean, both in the field of composing, and the concert ones.
Elwira: Our plans are of course connected with the most recent Concerto with orchestra, which we wish to play, present in Poland and abroad. For several years, we have been workig together with the baritone, Marcin Bronikowski, with whom we will perform several concerts in this season.
We prepare material for a disc with compositions and adaptations by Gabriel, most likely for an acoustic one. We are in the course of looking for a sponsor.
Next year, journeys to Asia and Australia will be waiting for us, in connection with a very interesting project, which we are a part of. Gabriel will compose, and we together will perform music to an animation created by the famous Animation Studio in Shanghai. The animation will be drawn by two famous artists-animators, working for the Studio, and the premiere of this interdisciplinary project will be on a very prestigious festival in Australia. Details will follow soon. The animation is inspired by paintings of the known and acclaimed painter, Chen Ping, permanently residing in Australia. For us, it is a great adventure, because since ever we have been interested in cooperation with artists of other sorts of art, and coming from other cultures. When we received the proposal, it was clear for us, that we would take it up!
While all the time looking for new inspirations, each of us, and the two of us together keep ears and eyes open for cooperation proposals from other artists.
 
And in what way would you encourage the music students to pay their attention just to the marimba?
Gabriel: Instead of telling what a wonderful instrument the marimba is, we definitely prefer to present its possibilities on stage, and therefore we invite them to concerts and to master classed with our participation.
 
Thank you very much for the conversation. I keep my fingers crossed for your plans.