With this ambitious album, Duo Palissandre presents the complete recording of works for two guitars by Bulgarian composer Atanas Ourkouzounov, a leading figure in contemporary guitar music. Passionate interpreters of his musical world for over 25 years, Vanessa Dartier and Yann Dufresne offer a sensitive and compelling reading of a repertoire deeply rooted in Balkan traditions, while exploring the guitar’s most modern possibilities.
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Reviews:
Duo Palissandre: Ourkouzounov: Complete Guitar Duets
The duo Vanessa Dartier and Yann Dufresne often focus on French music, but here they tackle a complete collection of duets by Atanas Ourkouzounov. Through an incredibly prolific output (he seems to be constantly creating new music with the guitar at the center) and extensive touring, he has created a unique universe within contemporary guitar music. Raised in Sofia, Bulgaria, he came to Paris to study over thirty years ago and never left. He is a very accomplished guitarist himself, and his writing constantly pushes the instrument's boundaries.
Elements of traditional Bulgarian music often lie underneath or form an integral part of the composition (perhaps most noticeably on this album in the intro and outro of Trois bulgaresques). This is expressed through rhythmically intricate compositions with unpredictable twists and turns, odd time signatures, and unpredictable accents that jerk and pull, leaving the listener instinctively swaying along to the lively fireworks (while constantly wondering where the downbeat went...). However, this is certainly not some orthodox ethnomusicological exercise; the scope is far broader, as Ourkouzounov is also deeply rooted in modernism. Harmonies are generously sprinkled with sharp dissonances and dense clusters. From this texture, melodies emerge that clearly sound Eastern European but move freely in all directions, making uninhibited use of the full chromatic spectrum (and occasionally quarter tones). Various extended techniques are employed, resulting in a rich palette of timbres and sensations.
At times, the music possesses an atmospheric depth, and I occasionally forget I am listening to two guitars ; it becomes pure music—a landscape of constantly shifting colors, sometimes clear and distinct, other times dense and hazy. The duo plays magnificently; their dynamic interplay is top-tier, featuring exquisite phrasing, rhythmic vitality, and uncompromising attention to both broad dynamics and subtle details. The guitars sound fantastic, combining depth with crispness, and the audio production is excellent.
The program consists of several suites and a few standalone works. Some tracks feel slightly more accessible, such as Reflet IV, which, despite offering some musical resistance, has a spirited "hit potential". The flow of the closing Kaleidoscores, dedicated to Keith Jarrett and firmly anchored in G major, is airy and delightful. On the other hand, the four movements of Figures de style—with density in the voice leading, stretched tones, frequent use of harmonics, and a sonic idiom reminiscent of György Ligeti—are hardly suitable as background music (should anyone get that dubious idea). But entering this world with curiosity and an open mind is richly rewarding. This is music for the inquisitive listener, open to new impressions and interested in the myriad sounds that can be coaxed from the instrument by an inexhaustibly inspired composer and two virtuoso guitarists. Check it out!
Ange Turell - Gitarr och Luta (Swedish magazine)
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A Masterful Dive into Ourkouzounov's Universe
Duo Palissandre: Ourkouzounov: Complete Guitar Duos. CD & streaming (Doberman Musique)
An initial declaration: As a producer on several of Atanas Ourkouzounov's (b. 1970) releases, including Autoportrait and Autoportrait II, I have had his compositions up close in the studio over the years. The present review is therefore written with an intimate knowledge of his musical DNA – an insight that only makes my appreciation of Duo Palissandre's performance on this release even greater.
It is an exciting project that the French guitar duo Duo Palissandre (Vanessa Dartier and Yann Dufresne) has taken on. Dedicating an entire release to a single living composer is an ambitious choice that requires true stature to pull off – especially when the choice falls on Atanas Ourkouzounov's complete works for two guitars. For the listener, it is a special gift to be allowed to step into one cohesive universe in this way; it provides a rare opportunity for immersion, where you can truly get to know the composer's voice rather than just catching scattered glimpses in a mixed program.
A Familiar Figure Here at Home For the Danish guitar audience, Atanas Ourkouzounov is certainly no unknown entity. He is well-known here, having visited us on several occasions – including memorable performances at Peter Strömgren's festivals in both Aarhus and Copenhagen, as well as under the auspices of the Danish Guitar Society. Those who have experienced him live will know that his musical nerve and technical mastery are completely unique.
Stylistic Integrity and the Great Sources of Inspiration Ourkouzounov's style is unique in its ability to unite asymmetrical Bulgarian rhythms with a modern, expanded soundscape. He writes like a contemporary composer who lets the inspiration from folk music flow through his musical language like a natural pulse.
The music retains its core and its direction, no matter how technically challenging it gets. This is because Atanas is not only an outstanding guitarist but also an exceedingly skilled composer. He is intimately familiar with the instrument's countless facets and technical possibilities from the inside, but he never falls into coquetry or clichés. The music is pure. Every sound surface and every percussive detail feels structurally necessary and deeply integrated into the composition.
A Musical Journey Through Time: 1998–2000 The works are generally presented chronologically on the album, which provides a unique opportunity to follow the condensed development of Ourkouzounov's musical language:
● Fantasia Bulgarica: The work serves as an ideal introduction. It immediately establishes the tonal bridge between the Bulgarian temperament and the imaginative, modern guitar technique.
● Reflet I, II and IV: As tracks 2, 3, and 4, these works form a fascinating suite of reflections. Here, the melodic material is more fragmentary in favor of a tight, pulsating momentum, which places great demands on the musicians' timing and precision.
● Mish Mash: As the album's fifth track, we find this rhythmic firework. The work is based on the solo piece Extension, but in this duo version, it gains a whole new dimension of power. Here, the raw energy is allowed to unfold through dense chord clusters.
● Trois bulgaresques: A small suite that might not be the album's wildest feature, but it is an incredibly fine example of how he unleashes folk music roots in an advanced, contemporary musical language with odd time signatures and displaced accents.
● Figures de style: A suite consisting of shorter movements, each exploring different stylistic figures. Duo Palissandre manages to change character at lightning speed here, presenting the many contrasts with great clarity.
● Broken Grooves: As the title implies, this piece deals with broken rhythmic figures. It is a work with great inner tension, where the duo's ability to play as a single machine is put to the test.
● Kaleidoscores (Hommage à Keith Jarrett): The work demonstrates his tonal wingspan. It was originally written for solo guitar but has extra layers added here. Here, Atanas breaks with his usual style; the work is kept in a clear major tonality, and with its solid five minutes of pleasing harmonies, it is absolutely the album's most amiable feature.
An Intimate Production The technical foundation for the release also deserves praise. The album was recorded by Vincent Joinville at Studio Babel in Montreuil, France, and the sound is highly present. The close and intimate production suits the complex tonal language perfectly and allows percussive details to stand out clearly.
Superb Ensemble Playing It is in the execution of these scores that Duo Palissandre truly shows their worth. Their ensemble playing is superb, and they act as one organic unit. The music itself is no more than ordinarily difficult, and everything is clearly notated, but getting it to flow so naturally requires exceptionally good interplay.
With these collected works, Atanas Ourkouzounov cements his status as one of contemporary guitar music's most visionary composers. His ability to fuse complex rhythms with a deeply original musical language is unparalleled.
The duo finds its way right to the heart of the music, and it is hard not to be carried away by their effortless mastery.
With this project, Duo Palissandre delivers a performance of absolute top international class. They interpret Ourkouzounov's music with an almost telepathic interplay and a rhythmic nerve that commands deep respect.
This album is an impressive achievement – an important release for anyone wishing to understand the depth of one of guitar music's most original living voices. It is warmly recommended to the society's members.
Leif Hesselberg (Guitaren, Dansk Guitar Selskab)
