Recurrence
Thurídur JÓNSDÓTTIR (b. 1967)
Flow and Fusion
[11:03]
Hlynur Aðils VILMARSSON (b. 1976)
bd
[11:33]
María Huld Markan SIGFÚSDÓTTIR (b. 1980)
Aequora
[12:07]
Daníel BJARNASON (b. 1979)
Emergence
[16:59]
1. Silence [3:02]
2. Black Breathing [4:51]
3. Emergence [9:06]
Anna THORVALDSDÓTTIR (b. 1977)
Dreaming
[15:51]
Iceland Symphony Orchestra/Daníel Bjarnason
rec. 5-9 December 2016, Harpa Concert Hall, Reykjavik, Iceland. A DXD
recording
Reviewed as a stereo DSD128 download from
NativeDSD
Pdf booklet included
Also available on CD/BD-A
ISO Project Volume 1
SONO LUMINUS DSL-92213
[68:46]
The first Sono Luminus album I ever heard was pianist Lara Downes’s
splendid recital,
America Again, which was one of my Recordings of the Year in 2016. Apart from the fine
playing and imaginative programme I was highly impressed by the
engineering; indeed, I declared it ‘set new standards for piano
recordings’. The native composers showcased in this, the first volume of
the ‘ISO Project’, are all new to me, but a preliminary listen certainly
piqued my interest.
As for the ISO, founded in 1950, I heard them last in music by the Finnish
composer Leevi Madetoja; that
Chandos
set, from 1992, was well received on these pages. The conductor there was
Petri Sakari. On the same label, and even more recommendable, is their
six-disc traversal of Vincent d’Indy’s oeuvre for orchestra, directed by
Rumon Gamba. I’ve only reviewed the
first
and
fourth
volumes, but I’m happy to report that the rest is just as good. Daníel
Bjarnason, the conductor in Recurrence, is also the ISO’s artist in
residence. The recording venue is the concert hall in Reykjavik’s Harpa
complex.
The sound worlds here will surely appeal to those who know and like the
music of Iceland’s best-known composer, Jón Leifs (Geysir
especially), and the Dane
Anders Hillborg. The acoustic/electronic glissandi and crescendi of
composer/flautist Thurídur Jónsdóttir’s Flow and Fusion are
discreetly thrilling, and the work’s finely calibrated shapes and
sonorities are very impressive. And if that suggests something generic,
prepare for a pleasant surprise. Jónsdottir doesn’t overwork her material,
and that’s always a good sign. As for the fine recording – engineered by
Dan Merceruio and Daniel Shores – it enhances what is already an engrossing
aural experience.
Hlynur Aðils Vilmarsson is a man of many talents, if his biography is
anything to go by; it seems he’s no stranger to rock bands, new technology
and composers’ collectives. His enigmatically titled bd is
characterised by tangential slides and quiet plosions – those bass-drum
thuds have exceptional presence – and there’s a deep, underlying tension
here that defies all resolution. Perhaps most important, all this is
achieved without faux angst or agitation. This is assured writing,
nicely proportioned and subtly delivered; indeed, it left me wanting more.
And although I’ve already praised the sound, the vividness and sheer
tactility of composer/violinist María Huld Markan Sigfúsdóttir’s seascape, Aequora, took my breath away. There’s a strong pulse and
sense of structure to the piece – an ISO commission – not to mention a
beguiling colour palette. However, it’s the understated quality of the
writing – no hectoring or shallow sensationalism here – that appeals to me
more than anything else. Happily, Bjarnason is just as judicious in his
direction, and the Sono Luminus team – who might have been tempted to
overplay their hand in the climaxes – leave well alone. Chandos et al, please take note.
Bjarnason’s own three-movement Emergence, the longest work here,
becomes more compelling as it unfolds. Yes, it’s comparatively emphatic and
angular – nothing too sharp, mind – but that’s welcome in a programme so
full of shifts and shimmers. That said, the final movement – Emergence – has a spare, evolving loveliness that cossets the ear as
much as anything I’ve heard thus far. The quiet virtuosity of both the
writing and playing is a joy to hear. Time for another listen, I think,
marveling anew at the highly detailed, beautifully balanced sound.
Multi-channel enthusiasts will be pleased to hear that the Pure Audio
Blu-ray, with its proprietary mShuttle feature, offers 9.1 Auro-3D, Dolby
Atmos 11.1 and 5.1 dts-MA as well.
Dreaming, by Anna Thorvaldsdóttir, has been recorded as part of an ‘intense and
persuasive’
Innova
album devoted to her music. That also features the ISO under Bjarnason.
There is also a chamber work of her on another Sono Luminous recordings (review). This dark, elemental slumber invokes the spirit of an ancient and
ever-changing landscape; it’s certainly not about whooshing waterspouts or
the violent grinding of tectonic plates, and that makes for a subtle,
beautifully shaped and sustained piece that resonates in the mind long
after it has finished. It also allows the engineers to demonstrate just how
immersive a sophisticated and meticulously planned recording can be.
Demonstration-quality audio, without a doubt.
The booklet contains artist biographies and an enthusiastic essay by one
Steve Smith, but I’d have liked a bit more detail on the music and,
especially, the origin of some of the gnomic titles, such as bd. At
least there is documentation with this download; at the time of
writing – mid-April 2017 – none was on offer at eClassical, Qobuz or
HDtracks.
Rather than prolong the revolving-door farce of who’s ultimately to blame
for this, I’d simply ask that it be fixed without delay.
Quietly spectacular scores,
beautifully played and recorded; a most desirable issue.
Dan Morgan
