Search - Hillborg, Salonen, Swedish Radio Sym Orchestra :: Clang & Fury

Anders Hillborg: A Major Contemporary Composer

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 05/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anders Hillborg is yet another significant contemporary composer who is bringing extraordinary new ideas to our musical world. His background in popular music, film scoring, and choral writing serves him well in his development as a colorist of the highest level. He is currently in Los Angeles with the world premiere of a stunning work commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and dedicated to Esa-Pekka Salonen, his longtime colleague and friend - the work being ELEVEN GATES. This 1999 recording of earlier pieces suggest the power of his current work and as such this CD is highly recommended as an introduction to a very important composer.



This CD offers a good sampling of Hillborg's powers as a colorist, from the very fine choral work 'Muoodaeyiywooum' conducted by Eric Ericson, to the experimental work 'Haut-Posaune for trombone & tape' with Christian Lindberg, to three solely orchestral pieces - 'Lamento', with violin obbligato performed by Kari Kriikku with the Osthrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, and 'Clang and Fury' with Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and 'Celestial Mechanics' with Salonen at the helm of the Stockholm Chamber Orchestra.



Hillborg's orchestrations involve massive scans of atmospheric, mobile tone clusters that allow ideas to emerge from the glacial aqueous matrix like whirlwinds or tornados. His use of percussion is as widely expressive as any composer working today and the effect of his compositions is one of wonder and 'other-worldly' sounds.



The recording is superb in sound and in variation and serves as a fine introduction to Hillborg's gifts, gifts which are maturing to a level of sophistication as evidenced by his newest 'Eleven Gates' premiere, a work that hopefully will reach the recording stage quickly. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, May 06

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A fascinating sound-world...

Justin Weaver | 02/10/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hilborg's choral writing is nothing short of phenomenal--minimalism taken to eerie sonic heighs--the northern lights painted in sound, icy cold yet drenched in interior warmth.As for the orchestral pieces, they are obsessed with microtonality, out-sounds, and atmosphere. The solo pieces are steeped in a similar aura. Although not as effective as the choral piece (whose name can't be typed without an IPA keyboard!), they are nonetheless intriguing masterpieces. Highly recommended. --Justin Laird Weaver"