Les Flexibles

None of us is a completely open book to the world, but Rihards Plešanovs is a particularly mysterious man. I have no idea whether he knows how, during conversations, his eyes tend to linger for a while on one or another of his interlocutors, and that this fixed, observant gaze like that of a forest bird makes one wonder what is really going on in the chambers of his mind.

One could begin with a different introductory paragraph, but while the music chosen for this first solo album does not specifically provide answers, it does give a better sense of what lies at the core of this person known as Rihards Plešanovs, and albums like this are always a particular delight.

Works by Ligeti and Messiaen serve as a nucleus for the album’s content, with the other components derived from them.

“I struggled for quite some time with how to sequence the pieces so that they unfold and flow from one to the next.” [Rihards Plešanovs]

Plešanovs searches for music slowly and calmly. Sometimes his ear is drawn to a piece played by someone else. This album consists of works that have been in his repertoire for several years, and they are interspersed with four poems by four different poets (all, however, born in the same quarter of a century).

“The inclusion of poetry was an impulsive idea – I wanted to add something more to the album. Not that anything was missing, but I wanted to break out of the academic format and find another facet of content.” [R. Plešanovs]

Plešanovs has previously collaborated with the selected poets on various creative projects.

“I sent each of them a piece of music – the one that follows their poem on the album. When selecting the musical pieces, I took into account each writer’s unique voice and reading style. I wanted the poetry to become music and form a ritual bridge to the next piece.” [R. Plešanovs]

Orests Silabriedis