Farangi | Coffee Concert

Farangi: A musical journey between East and West, part of September Me festival

Renaud Garcia-Fons (double bass, Artist in Focus) and Claire Antonini (theorbo) form a dynamic duo that originated several years ago. Over time, their playing together has continued to evolve, propelled by their shared passion for early music, jazz and Oriental music. This musical journey has led to a fresh vision of the meeting of Eastern and Western music.

The repertoire of their project Farangi consists of 19 short, original pieces that together form a miniature journey through different cultures and musical traditions. In this piece, the double bass becomes the instrument of the ney, a traditional Persian wind instrument, while the theorbo transforms into a setar, a Persian stringed instrument. These transformations of the instruments highlight the rich timbres and unique playing techniques that Garcia-Fons and Antonini bring to life together.

In Farangi, distinct melodies, the swaying rhythms of ancient traditions and contemporary expression come together. This results in a wondrous musical experience in which the line between East and West blurs. The name Farangi, which means "the stranger" in Persian, refers to the traveler from the West, celebrating the natural connection between two worlds. The piece is an ode to the joy that music can bring, as a universal language that speaks to everyone's heart.