"Pindakaas" in the Huelsmann Museum

Bielefeld (uj). Everything went smoothly -  yet this was the only discernable connection between the saxophone quartet's chosen name "Pindakaas" (Dutch for peanut butter) and the refreshing performance they gave in the Huelsmann Museum recently. The ensemble who consider themselves as crossover artists between the musical genres and styles, deliberately chose a humorous name in order to distinguish themselves from other supposedly "more serious" quartets. However, this does not mean that Marcin Langer (soprano saxophone), Guido Grospietsch (alto saxophone), Joachim Schoofs (tenor saxophone) and Matthias Schroeder (baritone saxophone) do not take their exploration of different musical eras seriously enough, far from it. On the contrary the four young musicians are the living proof that the saxophone is not tied down exclusively to pop music and jazz but is well suited for a much wider repertoire.
In accordance with the programmatic title "Voyage - A journey through time" the Pindakaas ensemble bridged the gap between the different musical eras, from the Renaissance to the baroque period, to Romanticism and finally to modern music.The wealth of tones in the courtly, symphonic or folk genres was astonishing: the slightly rasping shawm sound of a courtly Renaissance Dance as well as the silky, warm sounds reminiscient of strings, for example in a Fantasia by John Jenkins or a Suite by Johann Joseph Fux. The light, transparent and warm performance of the "Counterfugue No. 1"  from "The Art of Fugue" (BWV 1080) or the spiritual "Prelude and Fugue 3" from the the short preludes and fughettas would have delighted even Bach himself.
Performing with technical brilliance and a great sensitivity for dynamic nuances throughout, the ensemble played outstanding versions of Astor Piazolla's lascivious "Libertango" and Jean Matitia's lively "Chinese Rag" as well as a thrilling medley of Jewish folk music.
Translation: Anke Mittelberg