Pekka Kuusisto, Brad Lubman - Lost Landscapes : Pekka Kuusisto, Brad Lubman, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Ida Falk Winland(S) - Import CD

Credits:

Pekka Kuusisto, Brad Lubman

Description:

[The Nordic Light Depicted by Hillborg: From the Colors of the Primeval Forest to the Resonance of Crystal] An album featuring orchestral works by Anders Hillborg, one of Sweden’s leading contemporary composers. Deeply influenced by Ligeti, Sibelius, and Farnihow, his style—often described as a Nordic approach to the Spectral School—incorporates avant-garde techniques such as microtones and special playing techniques based on meticulous planning, yet never feels like a drastic departure from tonality. His work is imbued with literary mysticism and rich emotion, and his exceptional sense of balance—which prioritizes how the music is perceived by the audience—is a major source of its appeal. “When I write orchestral works, I love creating sounds whose true nature is hard to pin down,” as Hillborg himself states; the two pieces on this album, in particular—both world premiere recordings—offer an unknown sonic experience. In “Through Lost Landscapes,” the parallel glissandos of the string section and the bird-like trills of the woodwinds—which characterize Hilbori’s work—thrillingly depict a vibrant, colorful jungle teeming with life alongside a looming sense of impending loss; but in the end, a powerful consonant chord resounds, as if guiding the listener to a place of safety. “Sound Atlas” features the Verophone—a glass instrument derived from the glass harp—which, alongside an orchestra employing microtones and simulating the sounds of electronic instruments, creates a fantastical soundscape reminiscent of Sibelius. For the “Strand Song Cycle,” written for Renée Fleming using poems by Canadian poet Mark Strand, Swedish soprano Ida Falk-Vinland was featured. The intricate orchestration, which accompanies these love poems about loss, blends beautifully with Vinland’s lovely voice; in “Dark Harbor No. 35,” where she portrays two distinct characters, her ironic vocals are (likely through multi-tracking), leading to a blissful finale marked by the resounding tonic chord in E-flat major. The performance is led by Finnish violinist and conductor Pekka Kousisto, who will serve as Principal Guest Conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra starting in 2025. He has been appointed Artist-in-Residence of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra starting in 2026 (and will become Principal Conductor in 2028); in June 2026, he received such enthusiastic applause—including a solo curtain call—during a performance that featured the Japanese premiere of *Hirvori*. Together with American conductor Brad Loveman, who is internationally acclaimed for his interpretations of contemporary music, he conveys the full appeal of the works through a deep understanding of both the compositions and their sonic effects. Naxos Japan