RECORDING OF THE MONTH
A Swedish Trombone Wilderness
Anders HILLBORG (b. 1954)
1. Hautposaune for Trombone and Tape (1990) [3:38]
Lars-Erik LARSSON (1908 – 1986)
Concertino for Trombone and Strings, Op. 45 No. 7 (1955)
2. Preludium: Allegro pomposo [4:35]
3. Aria: Andante sostenuto [3:10]
4. Finale: Allegro giocoso [3:47]
Christian LINDBERG (b. 1958)
5. Joe Jack Binglebandit for Solo Trombone (2004) [6:19]
Benjamin STAERN (b. 1978)
6. Humorous Monologue for Solo Trombone (2014) [6:57]
Folke RABE (b. 1935)
7. Basta for Solo Trombone (1982) [4:19]
Christian LINDBERG
8. Kinky Creatures for 4 Trombones (1998) [4:00]
9. Land of the Rising Sun (2011) [4:39]
Hugo ALFVÉN (1872 – 1960)
10. Vallflickans dans (Dance of Shepherd Girl), from Bergakungen (The Mountain King) (1916 – 1923) [3:53]
Three Swedish Songs for Solo Trombone and Trombone Ensemble:
Per-Erik MOREAUS (b. 1950)
11. Koppången (1996 – 1997) (Koppången is a wetlands area in the province of Dalecarlia in central Sweden and also a nature reserve) [4:01]
Håkan NORLÉN (1917 – 2003)
12. Visa vid midsommartid (Song at Midsummer) (1941) [2:17]
Oscar LINDBERG (1887 – 1955)
13. Gammal fäbodpsalm från Dalarna (Old Chalet hymn from Dalecarlia) (1936) [6:07]
Roland PÖNTINEN (b. 1963)
14. Camera per trombone e pianoforte (1981) [4:09]
Lars Karlin (trombone)
Other performers listed below
rec. 2014, Jesus-Christus-Kirche (Dahlem), Berlin; Bethanienkirche, Leipzig, Germany
GENUIN GEN15337 [61:58]
Swedish trombonist Lars Karlin has for some years now been
active in Germany as a freelance musician, composer and arranger. For his
debut solo disc he has chosen an all-Swedish programme. It's mainly
contemporary or near-contemporary music but also includes a genuine modern
classic — from a Swedish perspective that is — and some arrangements
of his own brand of popular Swedish music. Much of this is virtuoso stuff
or technically challenging, and having heard Karlin live in various constellations
I was well aware of his credentials as a player before even opening the jewel
case. I had no reason to be disappointed – on the contrary we hear marvellously
assured playing throughout and there are true musical jewels hidden away on
this disc.
The opening piece, Hautposaune for Trombone and Tape was written
with Christian Lindberg in mind. Lindberg, the world-renowned Swedish trombonist
is also represented here by three works. Hautposaune is a short piece,
rhythmically vital with a singable middle section. The combination of pre-recorded
sounds and live solo playing is fascinating. The virtuoso aspect is breathtaking.
The modern classic I mentioned is Lars-Erik Larsson’s Concertino
for trombone and strings. Larsson ought to be fairly well-known internationally,
primarily for his Pastoral Suite and the lyrical suite Förklädd
gud (God in Disguise). In the mid-1950s he wrote twelve concertinos for
solo instruments and strings. The string parts were relatively simple and
not insurmountable for amateur musicians, while the solo part is a vehicle
for professional virtuosos. Larsson’s idiom is also accessible for the
general public, which all those years ago ensured that people flocked to hear
this music played by their local orchestra. With a soloist like Lars Karlin
this trombone concertino can’t avoid making its mark. His playing of
the pompous prelude is powerful. This is matched by his wonderful legato in
the aria and the spirited reading of the joyous finale, which dances –
elegantly but powerfully. There is more than a few drops of Shostakovich here.
Christian Lindberg contributes with three pieces. Joe Jack Binglebandit
is a showpiece for Lindberg’s onetime student, colleague and friend
Jonas Bylund, today professor in Hanover. He was also an important inspiration
for Lars Karlin who studied with him in Hanover. This piece, says Lindberg,
is “also a portrait of the wonderful, boisterous little rascal Jonas
Bylund”. Here he explores the instrument’s possibilities in many
different ways: growls, big leaps and glissandos. The latter something that
Lars Karlin fell in love with very early, at age twelve, when he discovered
the instrument. The title Kinky Creatures for 4 trombones makes one
wonder whether trombonists are kinkier than other creatures but they definitely
are able to produce stranger noises than most other instrumentalists. Four
of them here give an impression of Bronze Age horns but there are roots in
both late Renaissance polyphony and jazz. Land of the Rising Sun,
which is a world premiere recording, may refer to Japan or Anatolia –
the peninsula between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean (today’s Turkey)
– or Biafra in south-east Nigeria - it was the title of their
National Anthem. It was written for trombone and the occasional foot-stamp.
There's a slow beautiful opening, a middle section with fast chit-chat
and some excursions down in the lowest register. Then there is a beautiful
finale, played with exquisite legato.
The other world premiere recording is Benjamin Staern’s Humorous
Monologue, written for Lars Karlin as part of an opera, premiered in
2014. This reminds me that some years ago he did a whole concert with songs
and opera arias from Jussi Björling’s repertoire, arranged for trombone
and piano. His trombone really sang. Staern’s monologue is great fun
and I imagine that it’s even more fun to see as well.
Folke Rabe was a pioneer for improvisation and graphic notation in contemporary
art music. He was himself a trombonist and wrote Basta in 1982 for
Christian Lindberg who was a student at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm.
Here Rabe introduced chords that are produced when the player sings and plays
at the same time. This is a technique that is employed elsewhere on this CD
as well. Asked whether there is a story or programme behind the music Rabe
says: Not exactly, but he could imagine the player as a kind of messenger
rushing in, delivers his message and then – BASTA! – rushes away.
Basta in Italian means Enough! A feeling of stress and haste is notable, especially
towards the end when the player so to speak stumbles over the phrases.
Four arrangements by Lars Karlin are also included. The first is Vallflickans
dans (Dance of the Shepherd Girl) from the ballet Bergakungen
(The Mountain King). In the original it is a tour de force for the
strings. It serves as a favourite encore for Swedish orchestras on tour to
show off the virtuosity of the string section. Played on trombone, a much
slower and heavier instrument, at the original speed is a feat that seems
almost unbelievable. Karlin has both the agility and the clean intonation
to make it all sound effortless.
The three other pieces are less of virtuoso show-offs than beautiful melodies
in tasteful arrangements. All three have connections with the province of
Dalecarlia, Karlin's home territory. Koppången is a song inspired
by the wilderness in the northern part of the province - hence I suppose the
title of the CD. It was composed by one of the foremost folk fiddlers in the
region, Per-Erik Moreaus. Håkan Norlén was not from Dalecarlia but had many
connections with the province. Visa vid midsommartid is a setting
of a poem that was also inspired by the Dalecarlian wilderness. Gammal
fäbodpsalm is a traditional folk melody that has become immensely popular
in the organ setting by Oskar Lindberg. He was born in Dalecarlia, even though
he spent most of his adult life as an organist and composer in Stockholm.
These arrangements for trombone ensemble are true declarations of love from
Karlin to his home district.
Well-known pianist Roland Pöntinen was only 18 when he penned Camera,
a lyrical reflection with some swing feeling.
Hats off to all involved in this enormously enjoyable production and most
of all for Lars Karlin’s brilliant musicianship and virtuosity. A must
for all trombone enthusiasts and all lovers of entertaining and thrilling
music off the beaten track.
Göran Forsling
List of performers
Katarzyna Wieczorek (piano) (tr. 10 & 14); Trombone Unit Hannover: Tomer
Maschkowski (bass trombone) (tr. 8, 11 – 13), Yuval Wolfson (bass trombone)
(tr. 11 – 13), Karol Gajda (tenor trombone) (tr. 8, 11 – 13),
Mateusz Sczendzina (tenor trombone) (tr. 11 – 13), Tobias Schiessler
(tenor trombone) (tr. 11, 13) (alto trombone) (tr. 12), Angelos Kritikos (tenor
trombone) (tr. 8, 12) (alto trombone) (tr. 11, 13), Michael Zühl (tenor trombone)
(tr. 11), (alto trombone) (tr. 12, 13); Strings (tr. 2 – 4): Meesun
Hong Coleman (concert master), Michiko Iiyoshi, Julita Forck, Marit Vliegenthart,
Katharina Landsberg, Kim Jung-Hyun, Katharina Paul (violins), Tal Riva Theodorou,
Ekaterina Sinitsyna (viola), Gal Nyska, Shaul Kofler (cello), Johannes Ragg
(double bass).
Tracks 10 – 13 arranged by Lars Karlin
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