TRIO THEROS
Like a beacon in the night Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel , WaterlooTrio Theros guides you past musical landmarks, from Nørgård’s hypnotic spell to the majestic beacons of Erkki-Sven Tüür.
The light of a lighthouse at night is unique. As a symbol of protection, even of salvation, it always reveals itself gradually in the heart of the darkness. Designed to be noticed, it turns slowly and sways in a circle.
It is this light that inspired the famous Estonian composer Erkki-Sven Tüür in 2016 to create his piano trio Lichttürme (Lighthouses). Or rather: these lights, for the plural form in the title suggests multiple light sources. Fueled by a powerful swell in the low registers, the score seems to set them in motion to illuminate regular, sparkling beams of light in the high registers.
We find that same delicate sparkle in Spell (1973) by Per Nørgård, a key figure in Danish music. In English, Spell means both 'spelling' and 'enchantment' or 'incantation'. In this work, that magic is created through countless fluid transitions with an almost hypnotic effect.
The concert concludes with Piano Trio No. 2 (1944) by Dmitri Shostakovich. This masterpiece seeks the light after a long and feverish wandering and ultimately finds it, almost miraculously.