Upon listening and studying the music of Moisès Bertran, my first impression was twofold. First, on the surface, it is not easy to grasp his compositional coordinates in relation to a flowing spectrum of existing musical styles nowadays, and second, he writes his own more accurate expression of personal and unique music.
In general, one can easily discover the musical language and style of many composers. Some emphasize and heavily rely on contemporary compositional techniques, and with the extreme control of emotional expression, limit themselves in revealing their own individual character. In contrast, Bertran’s music does not seem to present a particular contemporary musical style, nor does it suggest a new and fresh technique and sonority. His scores and notes are modest, and sometimes, they resemble those of Baroque composers. In other words, his music is not easily defined by styles and techniques through the obvious appearance of musical elements.
Again, careful listening to his works, introduced in this CD, made me realize that he tells his own stories in his own unique way. The stories are not concealed by surface elements that are distracting, but his modest notes reveal his way of life, emotions and sentiments. In my comments to follow I will discuss in great detail why and how I have experienced such profound musical beauty.
GEON-YONG LEE
Emeritus Professor of Composition
Co-founder of the Korea National University of Arts (K-Arts)