Day Three: Concert Senda
Senda is the flute and guitar duo, formed by Martine Bauhuis en Niels Ottink.
Out of my own playing experience I know that a flute/guitar combination sounds beautiful, even though there is considerable effort you'll have to make as a guitarist to match the powerful sound of the flute.
Senda started with Entr'acte by Jaques Ibert, a classic for this combination. For me the piece represents a bit of nostalgia in which long time ago Els Grotendorst (an old love) played the leading part on a classical night of the Sweelinck High School in Amsterdam. Unfortunately I was not in the position to accompany her, because I just had made the first tentative steps towards playing the guitar, which were quite unadequate to meet the level of this piece. Entr'acte is a nice mix of slow and fast passages in a clearly Spanish style.
After his graduation, Niels Ottink started studying Composition. Hence Senda played some of his works: Shades of Grey en 1 & 2. I found them sounding well.
The piece Histoire du Tango (Bordel 1900, Cafe 1930, Nightclub 1960, Concert d' aujour d'hui) by Astor Piazzola is quite a challenge for both flautist and guitarist. I have a special spot in my heart for this piece and Senda triggered that with conviction: a pleasure to hear this!
Serenata al Alba del Dia by Joaquin Rodrigo was new for me, it is a two movement piece consisting of an Andante and a concluding Allegro. The well known Rodrigo-dissonants were there, but elaborately hidden inside beautiful melodies.
Martine Bauhuis played a flute solo -Honami by Wil Offermans- a piece which gave us a Japanese atmosphere, representing a musical expression of the waving paddy fields in the gusts of the wind. A very meditative piece with something of the Japanese art of the single brush stroke which sketches the entire Fuji mountain.
In short: a fine duo to listen to!