Jan Van Hoecke & Albert Pià

Musical instrument and weapon - at the very least, it’s a curious combination. The Hungarian csakan, a descendant of the shepherd's flute, was shaped like a walking stick. It enjoyed a brief, but brilliant life in art music. In the early 19th century, Anton Heberle played an adapted version in a Budapest concert and started a rage that was picked up a few years later in Vienna by Ernst Krähmer, who gave the csakan a new oboe-like form. It’s a musical curiosity. But it’s one that has enthralled award-winning recorder player Jan Van Hoecke. With his newly built csakan, he explores a fascinating corner of musical history. His travelling companion is Andorran guitarist Albert Pià, who performs a couple of classics – such as Giuliani’s Grande ouverture - on his own magnificent period instrument. Together they also expand the csakan repertoire, with their own arrangements of, among others, Paganini. Spectacular!

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