CD review: Marco Ambrosini & Ensemble Supersonus – Resonances 2019: Video, CD cover

Led by nyckelharpa virtuoso Marco Ambrosini, Ensemble Supersonus applies its unique instrumental blend, capped by the otherworldly overtone singing of Anna-Maria Hefele, to very wide-ranging repertoire.

Building bridges between cultures and traditions, Resonances sets compositions by Biber, Frescobaldi and Hildegard von Bingen next to Swedish folk music, Ottoman court music, and original pieces by each of the band members.
Ambrosini is one of very few musicians playing nyckelharpa outside the Swedish folk tradition. He was first heard on ECM on a pair of albums of lutenist Rolf Lislevand, then on a recording of music by Estonian composer Helena Tulve, and “If Grief Could Wait”, a collaboration between harpist Giovanna Pessi and singer Susanna Wallumrød. Most recently he was in a duo with accordionist Jean-Louis Matinier on Inventio, an album with similarly great imaginative reach to Resonances.

1 Fuga Xylocopae 01:44
2 Rosary Sonata No. 1 06:03
3 O Antiqui Sancti 02:38
4 Erimal Nopu 04:43
5 Polska 06:07
6 Ananda Rasa 02:58
7 Hicaz Hümâyun Saz Semâisi 06:48
8 Toccata In E-Minor 03:03
9 Fjordene 02:53
10 Praeludium – Toccata per l’elevazione 03:17
11 2 Four 8 02:53
12 Ritus 05:24

Personnel: Marco Ambrosini (nyckelharpa), Anna-Liisa Eller (kannel), Anna-Maria Hefele (polyphonic overtone singing, harp), Wolf Jansch (Jew’s harp), Eva-Maria Rusche (harpsichord, square piano)