A Concerto Written for Irène Schweizer
Barry Guy's 58-minute tribute to Irène Schweizer, recorded in Zürich, is among his most ambitious large-scale works.
Theoria is one of Barry Guy's biggest statements, a single 58-minute composition written for the London Jazz Composers' Orchestra with pianist Irène Schweizer as soloist. It was recorded in February 1991 in Zürich and released in 1992 on Intakt Records. Guy wrote it in honor of Schweizer's 50th birthday, and in practice it works as a concerto for her, with the orchestra surrounding and answering her piano.
What stands out is how much Guy packs into the piece. Big band swing, free improvisation, Romantic-era orchestration and blues all turn up across the length of the work, and the transitions between them are handled with more patience than you might expect from a piece this ambitious. Schweizer's playing is the anchor. She moves between dense, percussive runs and quieter passages with an ease that makes the orchestra's larger gestures feel grounded.
AllMusic reviewer Thom Jurek called it Guy's masterpiece, arguing that it finally balances the many influences he had been circling throughout his career. That is a strong claim, and the piece earns some of it, though it is long and demanding, and listeners who want a shorter entry point should start with one of his smaller trio records. For anyone already following Guy's orchestral work, Theoria is the place where the ambition and the execution meet most fully.
Who's playing
Barry Guydouble bass
Barre Phillipsdouble bass
Irène Schweizerpiano
Jon Corbetttrumpet
Henry Lowthertrumpet
Konrad „Conny“ Bauertrombone
Radu Malfattitrombone
Alan Tomlinsontrombone
Paul Lyttondrums
Marc Charigcornet
Paul Dunmallreeds
Pete McPhailreeds
Evan Parkerreeds
Simon Picardreeds
Philipp Wachsmannviolin
Trevor Wattsreeds
Stephen Wicktuba
Where next?
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
