The world premiere of La sera estatica, Bent Sørensen’s third piano concerto, will take place November 12, with soloist Katrine Gislinge and Copenhagen Phil, under the direction of John Storgårds.
La sera estatica is Sørensen’s third piano concerto, following La Notte from 1998 and La Mattina from 2009.
Composed during the lockdown La sera estatica is the result of the fruitful collaboration between Bent Sørensen and his wife pianist Katrine Gislinge. During the lockdown, Gislinge would play regular concerts for Sørensen, while the rest of society was cut off from concerts, the composer would enjoy Rachmaninov and Beethoven sonatas, Mozart piano concertos and more.
The collaboration between Gislinge and Sørensen has being going on for more than 10 years, regaling the audience with works such as the three Papillons: Rosenbad – Papillons, Pantomime - Papillons and Mignon - Papillons, solo piano works such as Fantasia Appassionata, Walzer – Under dem Meer and the beautiful 12 Nocturnes.
The 12 Nocturnes were just released by Dacapo in a splendid digital recording, this week’s listen at P2 Danish National Radio.
Bent Sørensen’s 12 Nocturnes comprise a collection of short pieces of great expressive weight. It is wonderfully atmospheric music with a vibrating magical sound that recalls the stars at night, miles above us. Where Chopin’s iconic 19th century nocturnes are dark and full of unease, Bent Sørensen’s music is luminous, a sounding prism for the tonal spectrum, the nocturne retransformed in the 21st century.
– Esben Tange
