Description
Landið [The Land]
This recording presents works by three composers in the Faroe Islands: Pauli í Sandagerði (b. 1955), Kristian Blak (b. 1947) and Sunleif Rasmussen (b. 1961). It contains four original compositions with a total length of 65 minutes.
Tracklist
I. Landið
for soprano and symphony orchestra
(Sunleif Rasmussen) 1993
1. Landið 4:25
2. Intermezzo 3:09
3. Nationalisma 5:40
II. Gerandisdagur í Havn
for soprano and string orchestra
(Pauli í Sandagerð) 1991
4. Á Sandi 12:13
5. Úr neyðardýpi 4:00
6. III. Grave 9:02
– in Memoriam Karsten Hoydal
for string orchestra, clarinet and percussion
(Sunleif Rasmussen) 1990
IV. Klarinettkonsert
concerto for string orchestra, clarinet and percussion
(Kristian Blak) 1990
7. 1. movement 18:11
8. 2. movement 7:45
Recorded at the Concert Hall of the Slovak Radio, Bratislava, October 1993.
Released on the following formats:
LP, CD and digitally on all major platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.).
You can check it out by using this link: https://bfan.link/landid
Additional information
Written by the composers:
Gerandis (Secular)
Everyday life in old Tórshavn was not characterised by excitement and change. The days simply rolled by, undoubtedly, one after another; but perhaps small deviations then gave stronger feelings of change than do the daily major changes occurring in our time. This music was inspired by the events described in the novel »Barbara«, by Faroese author Jørgen-Frantz Jacobsen.
The rhythm of everyday life is altered suddenly when a ship is seen on the horizon. Ships were rarely seen, and it was difficult to determine whether these were peaceful visitors or pirates. The people are disturbed and prepare to flee to hiding places in the mountains. Fortunately, however, the visitors are friendly. The chaos and disturbance changes gradually to happiness and, later, to celebration. Already the next day, the peaceful rhythm of everyday life is back, and we are again in good old Tórshavn.
– P. Í SANDAGERÐI
Heilagt (Sacred)
The Faroese have always made a sharp distinction between the secular and the sacred, but they have lived by their faith in God, wherever they have travelled. Faith in God was the rock upon which the old Faroese built their lives. This is clearly sensed in the fervent hymns that have arisen on these islands. The second movement is based on the old, Faroese hymn »From the Depths of Despair, God, to Thee.
– P. Í SANDAGERÐI
III. Grave
in Memoriam Karsten Hoydal
(Sunleif Rasmussen) 1990
Grave is a piece dedicated to the memory of Faroese poet Karsten Hoydal (1912- 1990). The musical material is based on a melody I composed to Hoydal’s poem »Út frá grýtutum strondum« (»From Rocky Shores«). I was inspired by the poet’s words »I in everything / everything in me« from the poem »Mikið var mær givið« (»Much was I Given«).
– S. RASMUSSEN
IV. Klarinettkonsert
(Kristian Blak) 1990
The clarinet concerto is written for one of the young, talented Faroese musicians, Anna E. Klett.
The concerto is in two contrasting movements. The first movement is characterized by conflict, both in the musical material and with regard to the interaction between the soloist and the orchestra. The concluding movement is, on the whole, lyrical and, as opposed to the first movement, the orchestra and the solist support each other.
– K. BLAK
