Osvaldo Golijov in Toronto
by Habitus · 02/25/10
Our friend Osvaldo Golijov will bring his music to Toronto next week at the TSO’s sixth-annual New Creations Festival. Golijov was also the subject of a nice profile in The Star.
Each of Golijov’s compositions is different. The influences include South America, the synagogue and the shtetl, wrapped in a life-filled tonal shimmer.
Among other treats, the audience will hear selections from La Pasión según San Marcos, his innovative setting of the death of Christ in a Latin American idiom. That piece was the basis for a conversation with the composer that we featured in our Buenos Aires issue. The NYT had this to say about the Pasión:
Set mostly in Spanish, it draws heavily on the rhythms and timbres of Latin American folk and popular styles — from tactile, polyrhythmic drumming to the blaring brass of salsa — and has an earthy, visceral appeal that speaks to listeners whose musical interests are not bounded by the traditions of the classical concert hall.
For those who haven’t seen a performance of the piece, which is quite a spectacle, here is a little preview:
