Işıl Bengi – HiKAYE (2020) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

The Turkish-Belgian pianist Işıl Bengi is an insatiable artist who has developed a unique personality, thanks especially to her curiosity about the rich diversity of cultures, her keen interest in the different styles and techniques of the piano, and her extreme sensitivity. Here she presents an original and colourful programme, in which intimacy and virtuosity, gentleness and violence, joy and rage are heard as expressions of the memory of the peoples who form part of her family history. The modernity of the works is characterised by a very natural and organic aspect, often nourished by the musical folklore of the countries of origin of the respective composers. Rhythm is a particularly prominent feature, highlighted in most of the pieces, notably through the use of irregular metres and polyrhythm.

Hikaye (the Turkish word for tale or story) is an album for listeners interested in broadening their horizons, as it crosses several different worlds. Envisioned by the Turkish pianist Işıl Bengi and based on her life, it evokes the story of a family who leave Istanbul to cross Turkey, Yugoslavia, Greece, Switzerland, Japan and Armenia, a mixture of voluntary and forced departures. The content of this unusual album is inspired by traditional folk music and its strong links to rhythm and dance, but also with singing. We are transported to the Greek islands through the music of Yannis Konstantinidis (1903-1984), then to Armenia with Six Pictures by Arno Babadjanian (1921-1983). The music of Turkish shepherds is represented by Kücük Çoban, and composed by Ulvi Cemal Erkin (1906-1972).

Jeux, composed by Stéphane Galland between 2010 and 2012 is one of the most recent works to feature, and probably one of the least conventional on an album which also passes through Switzerland with Ex-Voto, composed in 1914 by Ernest Bloch (1880-1959) before his permanent relocation to the United States. Danse lente in F minor by César Franck (1822-1890) is the oldest piece (1885) on this original programme which ends with Litany by Töru Takemitsu (1930-1996): a finale which conveys a strong feeling of sadness and separation. This unique journey on the keyboard was carried out on a Chris Maene straight-strung piano, specially designed for Daniel Barenboim who inaugurated it in 2015. – François Hudry

Tracklist:

01. Işıl Bengi – Eight Greek Island Dances: I. Allegretto con grazia (01:16)
02. Işıl Bengi – Eight Greek Island Dances: II. Allegro moderato ma energico (01:16)
03. Işıl Bengi – Eight Greek Island Dances: III. Allegretto (01:39)
04. Işıl Bengi – Eight Greek Island Dances: IV. Andantino mosso (01:51)
05. Işıl Bengi – Eight Greek Island Dances: V. Con moto (01:33)
06. Işıl Bengi – Eight Greek Island Dances: VI. Allegretto vivo e con spirito (01:09)
07. Işıl Bengi – Eight Greek Island Dances: VII. Moderato (01:50)
08. Işıl Bengi – Eight Greek Island Dances: VIII. Vivo e giocoso (01:26)
09. Işıl Bengi – Six Pictures: I. Improvisation (02:09)
10. Işıl Bengi – Six Pictures: II. Folk Dance (01:37)
11. Işıl Bengi – Six Pictures: III. Toccatina (02:02)
12. Işıl Bengi – Six Pictures: IV. Intermezzo (01:32)
13. Işıl Bengi – Six Pictures: V. Choral (03:27)
14. Işıl Bengi – Six Pictures: VI. Sassoun Dance (02:55)
15. Işıl Bengi – Duyuşlar: Küçük Çoban (01:45)
16. Işıl Bengi – Six Dances: I. Moderato (01:32)
17. Işıl Bengi – Six Dances: II. Presto (00:49)
18. Işıl Bengi – Six Dances: III. Moderato (02:08)
19. Işıl Bengi – Six Dances: IV. Allegro (01:55)
20. Işıl Bengi – Six Dances: V. Allegro giusto e molto ritmico (01:38)
21. Işıl Bengi – Six Dances: VI. Prestissimo (01:40)
22. Işıl Bengi – Jeux: I. Unisson (01:48)
23. Işıl Bengi – Jeux: II. Waves (01:33)
24. Işıl Bengi – Jeux: III. Transe (03:00)
25. Işıl Bengi – Ex-Voto (03:10)
26. Işıl Bengi – Danse lente in F Minor (03:33)
27. Işıl Bengi – Litany: I. Adagio (Con rubato) (03:57)
28. Işıl Bengi – Litany: II. Lento Misterioso (05:18)