different sounds and timbres in just one piece. Vivi Vassileva plays 13 different instruments, blending them into one big tonal device, thereby exploiting to the full the contrasting sounds and endless possibilities of percussion. "The first time I ever heard this Bulgarian folk song, performed by a female quartet, I could immediately hear a percussion version forming in my inner ear: the song has an intoxicating, typically Bulgarian 11/8 beat, and is sung in fourths and fifths, which sound absolutely brilliant on the marimba. I tried to remain as authentic as possible: the vibraphone drive, quickly adjusted, and the high tone of the glockenspiel, for instance, are meant to imitate the singers, the tom-toms the Bulgarian tupan, and I play the darbuka by hand, as in traditional music." Vivi and Lucas owe the title of their composition to a street musician in Rio who wanted to sell them poems. In keeping with their origins, this is a blend of Brazilian harmonies and Bulgarian rhythms. Together with the artist, they combined "Pipero" (Bulgarian for pepper) and "misturado" which means mixed in Portuguese. "For me, this is the keystone: it combines classical, jazz and folk music. While I was writing it I had images from fairy-tale books before my mind's eye. The intro, for example, is inspired by '1001 Nights'. I read so many fairy stories when I was a child, and wrote some of my own. There are many just under the surface of Pipero Misturado – and everyone can find their own when they listen." El ParĂo is Catalan for a child born under a good star, Sunday's child. The slow introducĂion is reminiscent of a lullaby, before the piece gains in dynamics and rhythm. "I love this piece because it allows me to sing on the vibraphone, and I could never pass up an opportunity like that."
16