The Keuris Quartet celebrates its tenth anniversary with a big slice of acoustic cake. The ‘Piece of Cake’ programme includes five pieces of Dutch and American origin, full of nods to jazz and improvised music – genres to which the saxophone is closely linked. Specialising in contemporary repertoire, the Keuris Quartet has won several awards over the past decade. ‘Piece of Cake’ is testament to their ability to turn a concert into a party.
A title like Kwispelgerst (‘Bobtail barley’) can put a smile on your face before you’ve even heard a note. Chiel Meijering wrote it back in 1995, but the energetic, grooving piece still sounds as fresh as a daisy. Dan VanHassel composed Schizoid Devices especially for the Keuris Quartet, who know just what to do with the piece’s beatbox-like exhilaration of plops and beeps. The final two pieces, by Michael Torke and Phil Wood, are lighter in tone and culminate in a festive jam session.
In between, central to the programme, is Louis Andriessen’s classic Facing Death (1990). Andriessen originally wrote this for the strings of the Kronos Quartet, but the version for saxes is at least as strong. There is a good case for such an arrangement: Miles David’s autobiography was Andriessen’s inspiration for this ode to his beloved early bebop, and he peppered it with several quotes from bebop king Charlie Parker.
Prior to this programme, Festival Dag in de Branding’s maker-in-residence Myrto Nizami presents a new part of her commissioned work in progress. A first taste of her chamber opera could be heard in the June edition, now follows a new part of the project, for solo instrument and electronics.
This concert takes place at a unique location: a glass greenhouse on the roof of Haags Hoog. Be sure to arrive on time to enjoy the phenomenal view of our beautiful city with a drink in your hand!