Per Norgard
has been hailed as the leading Danish contemporary composer and has often been described as eclectic. With this recording, the reasons for that will likely be evident both to listeners who are familiar with this celebrated composer and those who are new to his stylings.
Norgard
has written in many genres -- chamber music, concertos, operas, and orchestral music, including eight symphonies -- and has drawn inspiration from a myriad of sources, such as the symphonies of
Sibelius
and
Vagn Holmboe
, jazz, artist
Adolf Woelfli
, and serialism, even taking the latter to a new level with his "infinity row," which, in turn, inspired numerous composers that followed. Somewhat unique to this composer is his openness to returning to or reusing his own material. The present
Three Nocturnal Movements
is an adaptation of the composer's 1986
Viola Concerto ("Remembering Child")
and was spurred by the two soloists here, cellist
Jakob Kullberg
and violinist
Peter Herresthal
.
Kullberg
have worked closely on the previous projects, with
adapting
's solo viola work,
The Secret Melody
, into
Secret Voices for violin and cello
. In similar fashion,
reworked the concerto's original viola solo from
Remembering Child
for violin and cello in its present form. The soloists are both familiar with
's writing and are up to task on this often sonically and technique-challenging work. The orchestra here, the
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
(the dedicatee of the
), is equally up to snuff.
's
Eighth Symphony
is also represented here by its dedicatee, conductor
John Storgards
, who is firmly in command of the
Bergen
group throughout.
Lysning
, a tone poem that closes this program, might be the best place to start for those looking to dip their toes into
's creative sound world. ~ Keith Finke