September 15, Saturday, 6 pm
Evangelical Lutheran Church, Vokiečių g. 20
Susanne ung jour
Lithuanian birbynė and the music of 16th–17th-century Western Europe
REVERSIO Ensemble, Lithuania
- Darius Klišys, director – soprano birbynė
- Algirdas Jedemskij – soprano birbynė
- Eugenijus Čiplys – soprano birbynė
- Laurynas Vaitkus – tenor birbynė
- Mindaugas Radzevičius – organ
- Vytautas Švažas – percussion
What could the Lithuanian birbynė (an original Lithuanian woodwind instrument) and Renaissance and Baroque music of Western Europe have in common? The answer lies in this specially composed chamber music ensemble, Reversio, which features four birbynė players accompanied by organ and percussion. The idea behind the ensemble, to play early European music using an authentic Lithuanian instrument, became their mark of originality, while the expressive sounds of the birbynė are suprisingly similar to early wind instruments, such as the cornet, Baroque flute, oboe and shawm.
Birbynė player Darius Klišys and organist Mindaugas Radzevičius who make up the group’s core founded Reversio nine years ago. During that time the ensemble’s music has been heard not only in the concert halls and churches of Lithuania, but also in Italy, France and Germany. The performers remain true to their credo: freedom and originality in expressing the art of music.