Search - Magnus [Composer] Lindberg, PerMagnus Lindborg, Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje :: Looking On Darkness

Occassionally ECM teaches me some humility...

greg taylor | Portland, Oregon United States | 10/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...which, Lord knows, I could use. I tend to disdain the ECM label as devoted to Eicher's beloved chamber jazz which I find to generally be beautifully boring. But everyonce in a while he throws me a delightful curve (Trygve Siem, Zehetmair playing Ysaye, etc.). This recording of contemporary classical music for accordian is one of those humbling delights.

This CD is a recital by Frode Haltli on the accordian. There are four pieces for solo accordian and Gagaku Variations (by Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje) for Haltli and the Vertavo String Quartet. In order of the listings above, the other compositions are by Sent Sørensen, PerMagnus Lindborg, Magnus Lindberg and Asbjørn Schaathum. So, in effect, this program also serves as an intro to the contemporary Nordic classical music scene.

Haltli is remarkable. I have never heard accordian played quite like this. The liner notes by Erland Kiøsterud are entitled "Honoring every note" which is very apropos of Haltli.

He approaches every note with great care and with far greater variety of articulation then I have ever heard from his instrument. When have you ever found an accordian to be quietly haunting or disturbing in its eerie note bending? All accordian players should listen to this CD.

As for the compositions, they are all intriquing but I particularly enjoy the Ratkje piece. I know of only one other piece for string quartet and accordian (Matthias Pintscher's Figura series has some sections for this combination-I promise a review soon but I haven't fully absorbed that piece yet). Ratkje makes full use of the possibilities of her instrumental palette.

There are many pleasures to this piece including a delightful odd yet melodic duet (duel?) between the viola and the accordian toward the end of the piece. Gagaku is an ancient style of Japanese music whose written characters can be translated as "elegant music". Ratkje's piece fits this desciption perfectly and serves to introduce the listener to a composer that is very much worth following.

Of the solo pieces, I will only mention Jeux d'anches by Lindberg. The is a fascinating piece that seems random but is, in fact, carefully thought out. Perhaps excessive is the right word. In any case, Haltli plays it with wonderful verve.

All in all, a very auspicious solo recital debut. My thanks to Manfred Eicher for giving me yet another chance to realize just how much bigger the world of music is than I could ever imagine.



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