Homburger Guy Niggli Trio Acanthis

Maya Homburger (CH)– Violine
Barry Guy ( GB)  - Bass
Lucas Niggli ( CH) – Drums

ACANTHIS is the name of the first CD by this trio, which has been in existence since 2011.

The baroque violinist Maya Homburger and her husband, the British bassist and composer Barry Guy, are regarded worldwide as great innovators in terms of contemporary forms of playing on their instruments and are sought-after soloists in a broad field of tension between baroque music and the most modern composition.

In this trio, this duo meets the percussionist Lucas Niggli, one of the most innovative and creative  musicians not only in jazz but also in new music. Together they create a programme with compositions by  J. S. Bach, H. I. F. Biber, György Kurtag and Barry Guy alternating with improvisations. Each concert becomes a true "celebration" through a myriad of timbres and moods.

Acanthis Trio CD

with compositions by György Kurtág, Barry Guy and Lucas Niggli

On this recording we have elected to offer a programme that is concurrent with our present times but we still want to promote the idea of “musical stretching”. No baroque music (this still happens though in our duo recitals) but a chance to hear some of the exquisite music by the iconic Hungarian composer György Kurtág, who cites J.S. Bach as one of his favourite composers. Observe for instance Kurtág’s “Hommage à J.S.B.” which is spiritually related to the Double of Bach’s d minor Allemande BWV1004. We also have been privileged to receive a piece arranged by György Kurtág for our duo - “Hommage à Eberhard Feltz” based upon Samuel Beckett’s poem “Roundelay”.

Lucas Niggli joined us to create colourful and original improvisations with an uncanny knack of playing the right sound at precisely the moment where the written music invited an intervention. So, in “Celebration” and “Rondo for Nine Birds” (inspired by a beautiful drawing by the English artist Fred Hellier) Lucas had full reign to improvise imaginative counterpoints. In “Andeutende Dynamik” (my composition based on a triptych by the Hungarian artist András Wolsky) he plays with us on the through - composed score which included improvised moments inspired by the paintings.

The recording duties were taken care of by Adrian Hart, a violinist himself who fully understood and participated in the structuring of the soundscape which supports the varied music that this album offers.

We hope that this magical mystery tour continues to stretch the musical imagination. Barry Guy