Sorry for not replying in so long. I meant to get to this much sooner but finding appropriate music wasn't easy.
>>173684Amber does not keep a head of state waiting, especially one of such tastes. She turns to Erik. "We will be playing Bartók's duos next. First Ara Táskor into Számláló, then Scherzo into Arab Dal, Szunyogtánc, Gyermekrengetéskor into Szénagyüjtéskor and Lakodalmas, and finally Bánkódás. Got it?"
Erik isn't given much time to get ready, or even to process the strange names, before bow is put to string. The first part starts slowly but coldly, before launching into an atonal melody, before receding again. This goes on several times, and it is a surprise that this was a transliteration of a harvest song, though to an untrained ear it may evoke waves of fields of grain. But in reality, it is the harsh bitterness of repetitive years of work which wear on a farmer who is never able to escape his drudgery. This is followed by a quicker and mounting melody, the lead part of which is filled very aptly with Amber's deeper-sounding viol. As the short section carries on, the disparate notes of the viol and Erik's violin come closer together but never fully merge before an abrupt end. Some deep fissures in being, like that between griffons or ponies, or the conflict of wills within the madness of Diazela, will never be healed before sudden ruination.
https://youtu.be/F-dP9UXo0Hk?t=1761Unlike in her previous performance, Amber is not hampered by a lack of instruments and is fully within her element in the string duos. The next section starts out with a lively song in unison before the two instruments divide in organized chaos, complete with plucks. What could be more suited for the plans of griffons rended asunder by the terrible entropic beauty of the universe? The two start playing a darkly whirling dance from distant deserts, each instrument complementing the other in an otherworldly, heartless sound. Unknown to the listeners even the notes to it are beautifully symmetric.
(39:47)
The tempo picks up one more time as Amber and Eric play what seem to be the same song at different places yet which mesh together in rhythm and come together twice in a climax. Aptly named the Mosquito Dance, it resembles a horde of pests moving faster than the eye can perceive, uncatchable and yet waiting to descend.
(19:16)
The duo slow down and more closely match their music, though they remain separate enough to lend an ethereal atonal quality to the song. Why this piece is titled "Cradle Song" remains a mystery, with the most likely explanation being that it is an adaptation of an existing lullaby. Rather than being calming, however, it is haunting and sets one's feathers on end. This is assuaged by the next song, the "Hay Song," which among the collection is the most genuinely peaceful and pastoral piece. Given the name, it is most likely taken from some remote pony province, with the atonal yet tranquil melody suiting their unique optimism and harmony even in times of chaos. The leitmotifs carry on through the "Wedding Song," which unlike previous slow sections carries a warmth in it suiting the name, even as it drags to a halt.
(8:01)
Capping out the performance is a morose and tearful song. At times it seems like two separate songs of mourning played together. It retains ethereal qualities yet feels grounded in the agonies and sorrows of life. Is it the plaintive cries of two separated lovers, or evocative of a coming conflict that will shake the world to its core? At one point the song seems to end, but comes back with full volume, as one's sorrows may recede and return. The song slows once more and the two musicians drag out the last note as their performance finally comes to a close.
(23:07)
>>173755Middles?
>>174072https://youtu.be/eljAjfttGoI