A Closer Listen
With physical releases on the wane, it’s comforting to open the Collines / Racines box to find small posters, photo cards, and ephemera foraged in the forests of Belgium. Reading that the objects were collected by “the musician and her acolytes,” one imagines a dual worship of place and sound.
Composing for cello and Loopstation, Gwen Sainte-Rose presents an audio-tactile reflection on nature, well-suited for the outdoor season. The name of the Brussels label By the Bluest of Seas is evocative and sparks its own synesthesia.
“Collines” is inspired by the landscapes of Gaume in the far southeast. Known for a prominent church, forest, river and farmlands, the region is a popular tourist destination. Hikers encounter stunning vistas; the landscape will change season to season, from variations of green to reds and oranges and umbers and finally to hills of white and blue. In response, the music slowly undulates and unfolds, in the fifth minute forward and assertive, then recessing and reflective, as if rounding a corner between visions, concentrating for a few minutes on the trail. In the ninth minute, the chords begin to dissipate, notes suspended like echoes in the air. In the eleventh but a single chord, which begins once more to expand. The concluding fade has an even greater impact, like a memory replayed.
“Racines” is inspired by the Forêt de Soignes, located at the southeastern edge of Brussels, marked by wide trails and tall, thin trees. Rising from the quietude of “Collines,” the piece swiftly finds its footing with early declarative notes. The cello suggests the lushness of the forest while seeming to ignore the presence of human visitors; the piece instead suggests the daily walks of local wildlife, refractions on the water, the tops of trees as they battle for the light. Like the first piece, “Racines” also has a more restrained midsection, although it arrives later: the peace of forest depth. Deep in the piece, new melodies develop and even begin to dance.
As one listens, one considers a visit to the Sonian Forest before remembering that there are other, closer forests and and trails, parks and plains. As much as Collines / Racines is a celebration of two, it is a celebration of all: the vast expanse of nature, beckoning us to explore. (Richard Allen)
Wed May 07 00:01:58 GMT 2025