Search - Lena Willemark, Ale Moller :: Agram

A Compelling Nordic Journey

Steve Brown (stephen_j_brown@hotmai | Wiltshire, United Kingdom | 07/20/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Part of the acclaimed Nordan project series, this 1996 recording from vocalist Lena Willemark, multi-instrumentalist Ale Moller and others well represents the kind of music on offer from these talented Nordic musicians. The opening theme Syster Glas is a slow majestic melody played on the project's signature instruments: hammered dulcimer and fiddle which immediately invokes visions of wide-open landscapes under brooding dawn skies. Next, the title track Agram features Willemark's compelling vocal treatment of the dark lament "Agram trar etter souli" ("the wild oats long for the sun") - a strident cry for light in the dark sub-arctic months. Following a quieter instrumental interlude in which the assembled players set the scene with a couple of traditional folksongs, "Bjornen" ("the bear") features a dark brooding pulse-iron, a wooden trumpet, a soprano saxophone and Willemark again, this time piercing the desolate wastes with a traditional herding call that could shatter ice at half a mile! And at this point we're only up to track 5! Without listing the rest in detail, it should suffice to say that there follows a medieval ballad, a couple of fiddle-dance tunes, a biblical ballad, two fling dances, a "dance of the fairies" and some short songs in ancient dialect. If you've heard any of the other recordings in this series, eg. the excellent "Frifot" from 1999, then rest assured this is easily up to the quality of the rest. As usual from ECM the recording quality is excellent - sparse and clean with a huge soundstage. If you haven't taken the plunge into the world of the Nordan project but have ever wondered what a hammered dulcimer sounds like when played alongside a soprano saxophone and a pulse-iron then give this a try - I guarantee you'll be back for more within a couple of days."

Evoking and fascinating

michele sumberaz | trieste, italy Italy | 12/04/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Due to my limited knowledge of english, I will tell only this: it doesn't happen to me so often, to start again from the beginning after the first listening of a new cd. It happened with "Agram"! It's so fascinating;you want to hear more music like this just right after the last song! I owned Nordan and love it: this one is even more ecletic,richer in sound,rithms,vocals and fiddles. Highly recommended to everyone and surely a good start in nordic music! High artistic and recording quality."