Tania Giannouli & Nik Bärtsch – Metakosmos

For several years now, journalists, jazz professionals, and curious enthusiasts have been seeing announcements on Facebook or on the two artists’ websites about duo concerts featuring Greek pianist Tania Giannouli and Swiss pianist Nik Bärtsch.

For French professionals and enthusiasts, these announcements were a source of intense frustration.

Indeed, none of these concerts took place in France—a country where Tania Giannouli has, for reasons that are completely inexplicable, had only very rare opportunities to perform with her other ensembles, such as her magnificent trio featuring the oud and trumpet (reviewed right here in the report on the 2024 Gaume Jazz festival in Belgium), her sextet, or her solo recital. This CD therefore finally offers a wide audience the opportunity to hear this unusual duo—piano duos are few and far between, and even more so those that bring together a woman and a man, a pianist from southern Europe and a pianist from the north of the continent.

It is therefore with intense curiosity that we discover the nine pieces (all co-composed by the two partners) featured on this album. And it’s safe to say right away that they hold their share of surprises. First of all, because many of them emphasize the percussive aspect of the piano, with one of the performers—and sometimes both—playing repetitive rhythmic patterns on their instrument while the other takes on the melody.

These melodies are often inspired by Balkan and Mediterranean folk music. There is no temptation to showcase the technical virtuosity favored by some pianists. Here, a cantabile sensibility is at work, along with a taste for rich harmonies that are never overly sophisticated, supported by an impressive sense of rhythm.

Another strength of this remarkable recording is a keen eye for nuance, ensuring that every contribution from both musicians displays an impressive variety of touch and phrasing. It’s impossible to tell which of the two is playing the solo part or providing accompaniment, and it doesn’t really matter, because this is a collaborative work in which both pianists participate equally, forming a solidly united ensemble that we appreciate as a whole, without trying to isolate either member of the duo.

This—once again—represents a departure from other piano duos we’ve heard in the past. Metakosmos thus immerses us in a highly original musical journey, rich in timbre, melody, and rhythm.

This discovery gives us hope that French venues will finally give this magnificent duo the opportunity to perform before audiences who, we can bet, will be captivated by such beauty.