Concertzender Live

‘The music of Frans Moussault conjures various images. It can be dark like a foggy forrest or it can convey the movement of water emerging from the deep bottom of the sea. His sounds touch and fulfill the soul in us.’ – Nyosho Jine, Japanese shakuhachi master. The shakuhachi is a Japanese bamboo flute that originated from the Chinese xiao in the 8th century. Its blowing end is diagonally cut outward, with a small piece of ivory or bone placed at the edge to facilitate subtle variations in tone colors. For Dutch bass clarinetist Frans Moussault, encountering the shakuhachi was a transformative experience.

He encountered this instrument thanks to his Japanese wife Yukari Nanami, and realized his mission would lie in precisely this kind of unpretentious, authentic music. With the bass clarinet, he was already quite close to the expression, spatiality, and versatility of shakuhachi music. Frans Moussault did attempt to play the shakuhachi himself, but he prefers to stick with his bass clarinet. Besides, emulating a Japanese master on the shakuhachi is an unattainable goal.

Moussault performed on various big stages worldwide, but it didn’t bring him closer to what he was seeking. As soon as he made music to earn money, it lost its appeal for him. He earns a living as a music teacher, reserving the act of creating and performing music for pure enjoyment, free from constraints, allowing for boundless creativity and harmony with the surroundings in which the music is played. Sometimes weeks go by without inspiration, and then suddenly something beautiful appears on paper. But it’s never finished. Frans Moussault continues to refine what he composes.

I met him and Yukari Nanami at the Musica Sacra Festival, a truly outstanding annual musical celebration held every August, spanning an entire weekend. The festival takes place in Lessen, located in the eastern part of Flanders, Belgium. It’s situated right on the border of Flanders, just a few blocks away from Wallonia. Frans and Yukari presented four compositions there.

On the 12th of August last year, we had arranged to meet very early in the morning in the Sint-Pieterskerk to get a sense of the acoustics in the church and to identify various spots where Frans and Yukari could position themselves. They have a habit of standing apart and engaging in a musical dialogue with their instruments, which works quite well in such a spacious church. It adds a richness to the music itself. Frans firmly believes that music never exists in isolation; it is always intertwined with its environment. And it becomes truly beautiful when the music harmonizes with its surroundings. Whether it’s the chirping of a bird or the sound of a passing scooter, there should be space for it, according to Frans. In Japan, Frans Moussault has wonderful opportunities. Next year, he will perform in Tokyo with the Japan Philharmonic, presenting the concerto for bass clarinet that the Japanese composer Somei Satho wrote especially for him.

The second live concert featured in this episode, is a concert by Duo Kiasmab, comprised of cellist Pierre Fontenelle and accordionist Frin Wolter, both classically trained musicians seeking to create reinterpretations of well-known pieces. On 19 November 2023, they performed as part of the series ‘L’Heure Musicale’ – the musical hour – at the concert hall of the town hall of Sint-Jans Molenbeek (Brussels, Belgium). The French-speaking radio station Musique 3 noted about Pierre Fontenelle: “Without a doubt, Pierre Fontenelle possesses the qualities of great artists: those who do not compartmentalize or denigrate anyone or anything. Curious, generous, attentive, lively, and brilliant, he delves into the music in detail, joyfully swept away by his passion.” In 2019, at the age of 20, Pierre joined the Royal Opera of Wallonia-Liège as a cello soloist under the direction of Speranza Scappucci. He was then the youngest permanent musician in the orchestra.

Pierre has two unique cellos: a Ruggieri cello from 1690, on loan from the Jousset-Drouhin family, and a Nicolas-François Vuillaume cello from 1860, provided by the Belgian King Baudouin Foundation.

Frin Wolter has a passion for the accordion (and djembe!). He also went on the sudy the piano at the Conservatory of Luxembourg. He quickly became interested in chamber music and a cappella singing, and later in the French Baroque repertoire, which he enjoys transcribing for the accordion.

In 2015, Frin opted for a cultural shift by relocating to Finland, renowned for its progressive teaching methods and accordion culture. At the prestigious Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Frin Wolter collaborated with master Matti Rantane. He completed his Master’s in Performance and Teaching in 2021.

Duo Kiasma’s music cannot be categorized. Their repertoire spans from compositions by Rameau to famous Irish melodies such as Danny Boy.

We will finish this episode with ‘Oblivion’ and ‘Libertango by Astor Piazolla, performed by yet another duo: Roberta Brambilla (harp) and Mavroudes Troullos (bassoon). Harp and bassoon: an unusual but enriching combination. Brambilla and Troullos were special guests in the church of Sint-Martens Bodegem (Brussel, Belgium) at the festical Musica & Parole on 30 November 2023.

 A. Frans Moussault (Musica Sacra Festival, Lessen (B))

1. Frans Moussault (°1969)

Pastorale

Frans Moussault, bass clarinet.

• Frans Moussault

Triptych (Prayer, Bardo, Enlightenment)

Frans Mouseault, bass clarinet

• Frans Moussault

Interlude

Yukari Nanami, flute

• Frans Moussault

Oceanchild

Frans Moussault, bass clarinet

Yukari Nanami, alto flute

B. Duo Kiasma (L’Heure Musicale, Sint-Jans Molenbeek (B))

• Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Sonata for cello in e minor

Duo Kiasma

• Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764)

Lieux Funestes, from the opera Dardanus

Duo Kiasma

• Duo Kiasma

Danny Boy (Irish, traditional)

Duo Kiasma

• Duo Kiasma

Bach to the Beatles

Duo Kiasma

• Duo Kiasma

Fantaisie sur des thèmes de Halo

Duo Kiasma

• Arvo Pärt (°1935)

Fratres

Duo Kiasma

• Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)

Variations sur une Air

Duo Kiasma

• Jim Morgan and others

Soundtrack from the movie ‘The Adventures of Tintin’

Duo Kiasma 

• Duo Kiasma

Surprise de variations

Duo Kiasma

C. Roberta Brambilla and Mavroudes Troullos (Musica&Parole, Sint-Martens Bodegem (B))

• Astor Piazolla (1921-1992)

Oblivion

Roberta Brambilla (harp) and Mavroudes Troullos (bassoon)

• Astor Piazolla (1921-1992)

Libertango

Roberta Brambilla (harp) and Mavroudes Troullos (bassoon)

Recording tech: Leo August De Bock