“Pasión de Cristo” - a story told with music
The brass band “Union Musical de Torrevieja ”, known in Spain as the band, which is conducted by Maestro Carlos Ramón, offered another highlight, offering the audience filling the Municipal Theater to the brim to hear an extremely interesting work by a Spanish composer, pianist and conductor with the name - alias Ferrer Ferran (*1966). As a preview to Holy Week, Union Musical presented the innovative composition “Pasión de Cristo - Sinfonía No 2”
However, before the advertised work was performed, Unión Musical surprised those present with two works not mentioned in the concert's advertisements. “Chorale and Alleluia” by Harold Hanson and “Give us This Day” by David Maslanka, two works by American composers with religious character and content. The enthusiasm and energy conveyed by the musicians and their conductor Carlos is an admirable affair. Each UMT performance surprises with the excellent level of the works performed, the freshness and the wonderful qualities of sound quality, which were also demonstrated in the second part of Sunday's concert.
“Pasión de Cristo” by Ferran is a very daring work, stylistically and expressively new and completely different from classical models. There are no singing soloists, no read text, and no choir. The music is a kind of musical illustration, stimulating the listener's imagination solely through the orchestra's sound message, as well as through the dynamic and emotional realization of the musical text. In the case of Sunday's performance, gospel quotes were used by projecting them on a screen for better perception. The experiment, unfortunately, did not always match the emotion of the music.
The music of “Passion” is a completely different world, restless, full of drama and explosions of musical energy, but also melancholy and contemplative. The composition consists of three movements, only the last of which refers to the title of the work. And here I digress - why does the work tell the story of Christ's life from his birth, when w/ the accepted norms the “Passion” is the last several hours before his death?
The interpretation of the work was dominated by rhythmic vigor, sonic splendor and exuberantly dynamic passages contrasted with lyricism and mystery. Director Carlos Ramon impressed as usual with his superb knowledge of the score and equally superb preparation of the orchestra, demonstrating an interpretation that was precise and expressive in all details. Unión Musical as an ensemble showed a high class, shining also in the numerous solo parts. What Unión Musical and maestro Carlos Ramon demonstrated can be considered true perfectionism, both in terms of the technical execution of the composition, as well as achieving and conveying the right mood,although given the work's considerable dynamic and timbral range, hearing the “Passion” in the auditorium of the Auditorio Internacional would undoubtedly constitute an even greater attraction.
Offering concerts with attractive and original programs as well as interacting with the music performed by Union Musical Torrevieja, which is conducted by maestro Carlos Ramon, is received by the public with real pleasure and enthusiasm. At the same time, UMT's interpretations are a great demonstration lesson in how a brass band should sound.
