Ketil Bjornstad, David Darling - Epigraphs (1998)

Ketil Bjornstad, David Darling - Epigraphs (1998)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 215MB

ECM

Allmusic:
Those familiar with previous work by these two instrumentalists will find no surprises on their second duo album, which consists primarily of compositions by pianist Bjornstad, interspersed with fragments of works by composers of the European Renaissance (William Byrd, Orlando Gibbons, Guillaume Dufay, and the obscure German composer Gregor Aichinger) and a couple of David Darling compositions, one of them written for multi-tracked cello. The sixteen pieces on this disc are highly consistent in terms of mood and texture: from Bjornstad's "Epigraph No. 1" that opens the program to the Aichinger compositions "Factus Est Repente" that closes it, the feeling is one of deep calm and contemplation. To call this music "minimalist" wouldn't be entirely accurate, since there's quite a bit of harmonic movement and not much repetition, but because Bjornstad and Darling's playing is so consistently gentle and the music is so consistently quiet and pleasant, this album has a flavor that will be familiar to fans of Philip Glass and Arvo Part. Recommended.

Tracks
-01. "Epigraph, No. 1" - Ketil Bjornstad - 3:01
-02. "Upland" - Ketil Bjornstad - 4:01
-03. "Wakening" - Ketil Bjornstad - 4:07
-04. "Epigraph No. 1, Var. 1" - Ketil Bjornstad - 1:35
-05. "Pavane" - Ketil Bjornstad / William Byrd / David Darling / Gabriel Fauré - 3:34
-06. "Fantasia" - Ketil Bjornstad / David Darling / Orlando Gibbons - 1:56
-07. "Epigraph No. 1, Var. 2" - Ketil Bjornstad - 2:16
-08. "The Guest" - Ketil Bjornstad - 2:37
-09. "After Celan" - Ketil Bjornstad - 3:41
-10. "Song for TKJD" - David Darling - 1:02
-11. "Silent Dream" - David Darling - 4:38
-12. "The Lake" - Ketil Bjornstad - 4:09
-13. "Gothic" - Ketil Bjornstad - 4:05
-14. "Epigraph No. 1, Var. 3" - Ketil Bjornstad - 1:22
-15. "Le Jour S'endort" - Ketil Bjornstad / David Darling / Guillaume Dufay - 3:41
-16. "Factus Est Repente" - Gregor Aichinger / Ketil Bjornstad / David Darling - 4:54

Personnel
* Ketil Bjørnstad - piano
* David Darling - cello

  sample & buy: Epigraphs

 

Ketil Bjornstad, David Darling - The River (1996)

Ketil Bjornstad, David Darling - The River (1996)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 325MB

ECM

Jazztimes:
You could say The Sea (ECM 1545) created The River from what pianist-composer Ketil Bjornstad describes as "a becalmed duo moment." With cellist David Darling joining him from that previous quartet, the duo's improvisations are inextricably in the ECM tradition that combines neo-classicism and neo-romantic sensibilities. Bjornstad also invokes late Renaissance British composers William Byrd for parts I and III, ant Orlando Gibbons for the final section of his 12-part suite.
The River distills the textures explored in The Sea. Where the earlier suite captures the extraordinary tug, ambience, and power of oceans, The River suggests an earthier setting. One qualm poses whether or not themes of this sort ought to be couched in such extended forms, given how The River is far more monotextural than the earlier work, its impressionistic proclivities focused on one or two moods, it seems, reminiscent of lingering beside a river or in a lull aboard rowboat or canoe. Listeners can then imagine whatever riverscape they please to fill in the setting. There are obvious possibilities for program application for this calming music, perhaps. But quo vadis?

Tracks
- "I" (William Byrd) - 6:58
- "II" - 7:28
- "III" (Byrd) - 4:40
- "IV" - 8:49
- "V" - 6:39
- "VI" - 9:19
- "VII" - 5:15
- "VIII" - 2:39
- "IX" - 5:47
- "X" - 4:31
- "XI" - 7:26
- "XII" (Orlando Gibbons) - 3:39
Recorded at Rainbow Studio in Oslo, Norway in June 1996

Personnel
* Ketil Bjørnstad - piano
* David Darling - cello

 sample & buy: Ketil Bjornstad & David Darling: The River