lucian ban / mat maneri at fotografiska, nyc, sep 19 - transylvanian dance CD-release performance

• photography by ©Clara Pereira / text by Filipe Freitas

Pianist Lucian Ban and violist Mat Maneri have been performing together for 14 years, and their deep musical chemistry is evident in every note. On Thursday, at New York’s Fotografiska, the duo brought their unique interpretation of Hungarian composer Béla Bartók’s folk tunes to life, celebrating the release of their ECM album Transylvanian Dance. The performance was accompanied by projected photographs Bartók himself had taken in Transylvania in 1910, adding an interesting visual layer to the music.

The concert opened with “Lover Mine of Long Ago”, a bluesy yet radiant ‘doina’ (a traditional Romanian peasant tune) that Maneri dedicated to a family friend. Ban created rich textures with muted piano strings, shifting between rhythmic staccatos and dreamy pastoral harmonies.. Meanwhile, Maneri’s viola floated above with a soulful Middle Eastern tinge, evoking both joy and sadness. 

Next came “Transylvanian Dance”, a more lively piece marked by Ban’s vamping piano curlicues and Maneri’s expressive use of both arco and pizzicato techniques. Following “Harvest Moon Ballad”, a tearful melancholic song of transcendental beauty, Ban played the original recording of Bartok’s “Make Me, Lord, Slim and Tall” on his phone before tackling it with his own improvisational touch. He explained to the audience that the duo never plays these pieces the same way twice, a clear indication of their improvisational instincts.

The concert also featured a song not included on the album, before concluding with the irresistibly enchanting “Poor is My Heart”. The music allowed us to spiritually travel to far-flung lands and ancient times while spreading a sense of warmth and positive energy throughout the room. This dynamic fusion of folk traditions with avant-garde sensibilities demonstrated once again why Ban and Maneri’s partnership is so special.