The end of an era
Iggy Azalea
Keywords
Reviews (3)
Presto classical
2023
By
2023
"There is an evaporating quality to the music of Icelandic composer and conductor Daníel Bjarnason, with sounds that can start softly or loudly, serenely or fiercely, but ultimately dissipate into intangible air. This album, conducted by the composer himself, showcases this characteristic in three captivating works in all-new versions. In Bow to String, the three movements undergo a mesmerizing transformation from a pounding passacaglia to an exhale of frozen breath. In Over Light Earth, the sounds tremble before dispersing to the far edges of the orchestra. And in the Larkin Songs, Bjarnason reflects on fleeting companionship and love".
Klassisk
2023, nr. 71
By
By
Aksel Tollåli
2023, nr. 71
"'From Earth to Ether' er ikke uden interessante værker eller musikalske øjeblikke, men der er for meget af musikken, som ikke helt synes at vide, hvor den vil hen. De musikalske præstationer, både fra solisterne of Aarhus Symfoniorkester, er imponerende, men efter 'Bow to String' får musikken ikke plads nok til at ånde".
The gramophone
2023 October
By
By
Andrew Mellor
2023 October
"Daniel Bjarnason is best known ... as the conductor responsible for the Iceland Symphony Orchestra's continuing series on Sono Luminas charting the nation's current crop of composing talent. Here's a timely reminder that he is part of that crop ... 'Bow to String' ... a strong performance of the piece ... with impassioned, multidimensional playing from Jakob Kullberg ... Bjarnason's interest in concealment, deconstruction and reappearance is equally evident in 'Over Light Earth' ... We know Bjarnason is good with text ... Slinky, lustrous performances [in 'Larkin Songs'] come from Karin Torbjörnsdóttir with an alert Aarhus Symphony Orchestra behind her ... What's included is worth the outlay, not least given the power, precision and personality of Bjarnason's music".