Page 562 - Media Coverage Book - 75th Aldeburgh Festival 2024

Rand and pianist Simon Lepper’s first recital presented the 12-song cycle Harawi - Chant d'amour

et de mort ( Harawi - A Song of Love and Death) written in 1946 and inspired by inspired by the
myth of Tristan and Iseult. Though written in French, the songs also include words in the Quechua

languages of the central Andes Mountains in South America.

Jones’s art didn't necessarily fit a prior knowledge of Messiaen’s music, but revealed it from a new

angle. Songs provided differing pace of animated movement, varieties of colours, textures and
vibrancies, shown on a huge screen behind Rand and Lepper. Sometimes, the paintings and

music flowed perfectly in time, and at other times they were brilliantly contrasted.

Rand has a command of the stage that allows Messiaen’s music to speak universally. A genius
decision to bring the Britten Theatre into intimate darkness, withdrawing the element of ‘recital’
and creating a new space, somewhere between gallery, meditation, planetarium and dream.

Between them, Rand and Lepper have a captivating synergy. Rhythmic precision radiated in the

onomatopoeic ‘Dondou tchil’, with ‘Syllabes' inhabiting a tangible grief. Rand is a terrific risk taker,
never sacrificing beauty, but not afraid to bring out an edgier, harsher tone when needed.

My instinct was to move between the usual place I go in recitals - internally, with my eyes closed -

to focusing on the animation, challenging my sense of comfort.

If the Messiaen cycles weren’t such a tall order, I would demand this terrific show to go on tour. I

certainly hope it paves the way for further collaborations between Rand and Jones.

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