Pangaea: One World

Fire & Grace began performing at the Carmel Bach Festival in 2017 with a program that blended the music of Bach with traditional Irish music, highlighting and celebrating the common elements of these two styles of music. The program featured The Liquid Gold Suite, a unique blending of the solo violin Partita #2, accompanied by guitar, with Irish dance music. The concert also included guest musicians from the festival orchestra and chorus.

Huizinga and Coulter returned in 2018 with a program called Amazing Grace – blending Bach with American dance music and songs. This time featuring the mandolin playing of Ashley Hoyer, and featuring Partita Americana, a suite which blends the Violin Partita #3 with American fiddle music both old and new.

In 2019 Fire & Grace headed north for a program called The Frozen North, which included Olov Johansson from Sweden, one of the finest nyckelharpa players in the world, and of course festival singers and musicians.

In October of 2021, the duo returned with The Spirit of Spain, a program celebrating classical and folk music, both old and new, from Spain. And for a unique twist they brought dance to the Sunset Center stage in the form of the incomparable flamenco dancer Fanny Ara. The centerpiece of this program was Suite Español – a blending of the Bach Cello Suite #1 with music from various regions of Spain, interweaving Spanish songs, and fiery flamenco dance and rhythms.

This series of concerts has been a profoundly inspiring and deeply moving element in the musical evolution of Fire & Grace. It has been an amazing opportunity to explore a variety of music from around the world, make music with festival musicians and singers and feature amazing special guest artists from near and far.

Here now in 2022 Fire & Grace present Pangaea – One World. You might call this a retrospective of the previous four concerts – touching on music we have presented before – and exploring some new territory, as well as bringing back special guest artists we have had the privilege to make music with and meeting new artists.

Port na bPúcai, The Tune of the Fairies, is an old Irish air that comes from the Blasket Islands off the coast of County Kerry, Ireland. Fishermen heard the tune drifting in the wind and the waves, perhaps emanating from a selkie, and when they returned to their island home, the tune magically came through their instruments. Air on the G String is of course one of the most well loved airs by J.S .Bach and perhaps magically came through the genius of the great composer from the same ancient realm as the Port na bPúcai. And to lift the spirits even higher we carry on with The Cuckoo’s Nest, a well-known dance tune that originated in Ireland as a hornpipe, played here as an old-time American reel.

Where Have All the Flowers Gone was composed by Pete Seeger (1919–2014). In an interview with the great Irish songwriter Tommy Sands, Seeger recounts that he found the core of the lyrics in a Russian poem in a novel he was reading.

Where are the flowers? The girls have plucked them.

Where are the girls? They are all married.

Where are the men? They are all in the army.

The melody of the song is based on an Irish lumberjack song. Indeed this song has become an anthem for those who seek peace in all corners of the world, and a powerful anti-war message.

BlueThrash is a playful medley of Cluck Old Hen, Farewell to Longhollow, and Glory in the Meetinghouse, three American fiddle tunes arranged by Ashley Hoyer. These tunes are well-known and played by old time and bluegrass musicians alike. The title, BlueThrash refers to some of the rhythms and chord progressions which evoke a modern ‘thrash’ music sound.

Astor Piazzolla was an Argentine tango composer, bandoneon player, and arranger. His compositions revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed nuevo tango, incorporating elements from jazz and
classical music.

Libertango was published in 1974. The title refers to Piazzolla’s break from classical tango to tango nuevo. Oblivion was recorded in 1982 as part of the soundtrack to the film Henry IV directed by Marco Bellocchio. Fire & Grace recorded Libertango on their latest CD called Alma. Oblivion was recorded on their first CD called Fire & Grace and it was one of the first pieces they performed together.

Long Dance, Bingsjö Långdans in Swedish, was learned at a music camp from Roger Talroth, guitarist in the group Väsen. Since then this beautiful melody has been heard in many different musical situations. IPA-Gubben was composed by Olov Johansson for Mikael Marin, violist in the group Väsen, for the celebration of his 50th birthday.

Celtic Set

Don Oíche Úd i mBeithil, I sing of that night in Bethlehem, is a very old Irish Christmas air. The Honeybee is a traditional Irish slip jig, and inspires a most gentle and elegant form of Irish dancing.

Marga’s Moment is a modern Irish tune composed by the great flute player Brian Finnegan who hails from Northern Ireland. Macleod’s Farewell is another new tune, composed by Donald Shaw and made famous by the Irish supergroup Lúnasa.

Silk Road Set

Just like silk and people, music has traveled a lot over the centuries. In every land and with every culture it interacts with, music adapts to and incorporates local elements such as language, rhythm, and melody. It also brings those elements to that land from other places. In our Silk Road Set, we follow some of the music along the silk road, from Iran to Romania to Turkey, and back.