Located in the UK
Located in the USA
Located in Europe
- Peter Bruun
Concerto Grosso (2007)
(4 Corners)- Edition Wilhelm Hansen Copenhagen (World)
Programme Note
Concerto Grosso “4 Corners”
A “Concerto Grosso” is a big thing. In fact that seems to be what it means: a “big concerto”. It’s the “four elements”: four fantastic musicians, four magnificent men of more or less the same age – a man’s prime (or midlife crisis), like my own. And at the same time the four make up a virtuosic, close-knit chamber ensemble – “4Elements”. And there are another two elements: the whole Copenhagen Philharmonic, and an able, dynamic young conductor. The possibilities of playing with and ‘against’ one another are many.
It has been a dream job to create this ‘Concerto Grosso’ for the Copenhagen Philharmonic, Morten Ryelund and 4Elements. And I hope people can hear that it has. It has almost been like being a child in a toy shop. Ever since I began my work on the piece, I have thought that it has to be a matter of exploring ‘all the angles’: of considering the four musicians’ many expressive options when they play together with one another and with the orchestra. Hence the title 4 Corners.
Each of the four musicians in the ensemble has his movement where he is particularly in focus. The first movement is a sombre introduction with the double-bass as the leading instrument. Then it is the accordion that leads in a hectic, fast, virtuoso movement. The third movement is a long, lingering melody with verse and refrain. The accordion begins, then the saxophone leads the way, plays the melody and plays an improvised solo over the harmonies of the melody. The fourth movement is again fast. The trumpet heads up 4Elements in an alternation with the orchestra, which plays the same kind of music as the ensemble, but at a different tempo. In two rounds the orchestra and the ensemble compete to be heard, until they meet, and the two different tempi play one above the other.
In the last two movements Jesper Egelund plays the dobro – a special kind of guitar mainly used in American bluegrass music.
A “Concerto Grosso” is a big thing. In fact that seems to be what it means: a “big concerto”. It’s the “four elements”: four fantastic musicians, four magnificent men of more or less the same age – a man’s prime (or midlife crisis), like my own. And at the same time the four make up a virtuosic, close-knit chamber ensemble – “4Elements”. And there are another two elements: the whole Copenhagen Philharmonic, and an able, dynamic young conductor. The possibilities of playing with and ‘against’ one another are many.
It has been a dream job to create this ‘Concerto Grosso’ for the Copenhagen Philharmonic, Morten Ryelund and 4Elements. And I hope people can hear that it has. It has almost been like being a child in a toy shop. Ever since I began my work on the piece, I have thought that it has to be a matter of exploring ‘all the angles’: of considering the four musicians’ many expressive options when they play together with one another and with the orchestra. Hence the title 4 Corners.
Each of the four musicians in the ensemble has his movement where he is particularly in focus. The first movement is a sombre introduction with the double-bass as the leading instrument. Then it is the accordion that leads in a hectic, fast, virtuoso movement. The third movement is a long, lingering melody with verse and refrain. The accordion begins, then the saxophone leads the way, plays the melody and plays an improvised solo over the harmonies of the melody. The fourth movement is again fast. The trumpet heads up 4Elements in an alternation with the orchestra, which plays the same kind of music as the ensemble, but at a different tempo. In two rounds the orchestra and the ensemble compete to be heard, until they meet, and the two different tempi play one above the other.
In the last two movements Jesper Egelund plays the dobro – a special kind of guitar mainly used in American bluegrass music.