
Pictures: Courtesy of © Alexander Banck-Petersen
TRUST ME
for symphony orchestra and text performer
a frenetic loop about trust, visions and insomnia
Commission and performance by Basel Sinfonietta conducted by Titus Engel
Score*, script, text performance: Gemma Ragués
13'
Premiered at Klang Copenhagen on June 7th 2024 by Basel Sinfonietta, Titus Engel and Gemma Ragués
Enabled by the support of the Fondation Nicati-de Luze and the Swiss Cultural Foundation Pro Helvetia.
*with a quote from James Horner and inspirations from Ondřej Adámek, Inti Figgis-Vizueta and Marina Herlop
Review from Seismograf (DK)
Live recording by Danish Radio (DR P2) in Klang Copenhagen
Sound engineer: Peter Bo Nielsen. Sound producer: Gorm Larsen
(...) "Det bedste og mest medrivende værk denne aften med det schweiziske Basel Sinfonietta var spanske Gemma Ragués Pujols behandling af emnet tillid i Trust Me for performancekunstner og orkester. Komponisten selv indgik i et forrygende samspil med orkestret, som i perfekt timing eksekverede en tekst om at stole på hinanden. Musikken vækkede hende 7 am, og pludselig huskede hun, at hun havde et skænderi for 1500 dage siden med sin søster. Søsterens råben og skrigen hørtes præcist og kontrastfyldt i orkestret. »Man kan ikke stole på hende,« reciterede Pujol, som var det en moderne opera – men »trust me!.. I trust you,« gentog hun flere gange. Værket blev tiltagende rytmisk og steg i intensitet (med kortvarig bossanova) og gav mindelser om Bernsteins musik, men stod alligevel originalt, skarpt og ikke-sårbart. Gemma Pujol vidste, hvad hun ville, og eksekverede det virtuost. " (...)

Pictures: Courtesy of © Alexander Banck-Petersen
The work presents a loop of thoughts that appear night after night in someone’s mind:
1) An ex-girlfriend that comes and leaves.
2) My best friend complaining about her boss.
6) My therapist.
The work presents a loop of thoughts related to trust that appear night after night in someone’s mind:
1) An ex-girlfriend that comes and leaves and I couldn’t trust.
2) My best friend’s boss. She couldn’t trust her anymore.
6) I trust my therapist.
A loop of thoughts presents:
1) An ex-girlfriend
2) A boss
3) Jack and Rose
5) Mum
6) My therapist
11) My fish stop eating. It has a trust disorder
In an attempt to organize the loop, the main character lists the thoughts every night in their order of appearance:
1)
2)
6)
11)
11)
6)
4) I don’t trust this text, it’s not good enough
TRUST ME
a frenetic narration where text and music melt together in a feverish stream of trust, humor, absurdity and some deepest fears in someone’s mind.
Text by Gemma Ragués, 2024
Live recording by Danish Radio (DR P2) in Klang Copenhagen. Sound engineer: Peter Bo Nielsen. Sound producer: Gorm Larsen



Pictures: Courtesy of © Alexander Banck-Petersen