Norwegian Imperatives

Austbø is a model of lucidity, teasing out poetry from between the arid stones in this austere yet not uninteresting repertoire. His booklet-note is correspondingly clear-sighted and Aurora's... — Gramophone Magazine, July 2010 More…

Release Date: 2nd Nov 2009
Catalogue No: ACD5060
Label: Aurora
Length: 64 minutes

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Valen: Four Pieces For Piano, Op. 22

Work length11:15

Håkon Austbø

1. Nachtstück

Track length3:44

Ii. Valse Noble

Track length2:04

Iii. Lied Ohne Worte

Track length3:05

Iv. Gigue

Track length2:22

Valen: Intermezzo, Op. 36

Work length2:44

Håkon Austbø

Egge: Sonata No. 2 (Patética), Op. 27

Work length19:26

Håkon Austbø

I. Grave Stentato - Allegro Appassionato

Track length8:21

Ii. Canto Etéreo

Track length6:26

Iii. Finale. Quasi Una Fantasia

Track length4:39

Mortensen, F E: Sonata, Op. 7

Work length9:52

Håkon Austbø

I. Quasi Una Fantasia

Track length3:09

Ii. Fuga

Track length6:43

Wallin: Seven Imperatives

Work length21:08

Håkon Austbø

Seek

Track length0:51

Push

Track length5:00

Sink

Track length2:24

Spin

Track length3:54

Stab

Track length0:34

Lean

Track length7:57

Quit

Track length0:28

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The Norwegian pianist Håkon Austbø, internationally known for his work in contemporary music, here performs a collection of 20th and early 21st century works by his compatriots, Fartein Valen, Klaus Egge, Finn Mortensen, and Rolf Wallin.

Written between 1935 and 2001, the mu sic on this album forms a unique line from teacher to student in Norwegian piano music through 66 years. Norwegian composers after Grieg for the most part wrote in a nationalistic style, with one exception, Fartein Valen who became a true internationalist and developed his unique style out of German late romanticism and the 2nd Viennese school. His pupil Klaus Egge started out writing music much in relation to folk music, but developed toward a less tonal and more polyphonic style. Finn Mortensen started taking lessons with Egge just before the Second World War, but soon disappeared into the underground resistance and never completed his studies.

After the war he came into contact with the electronic studios of Stockhausen in Cologne, and is given the credit for bringing musical modernism to Norway. One of the most prominent of his students is Rolf Wallin, a composer with a very personal style incorporating distinctive harmonic colours. Norwegian pianist Håkon Austbø is internationally known for his work in contemporary music. Having lived and worked out of the Netherlands for more than 30 years, Austbø has recently returned to his home country. His numerous recordings, among them the complete piano works of Messiaen, have received many awards.

Reviews

July 2010

Austbø is a model of lucidity, teasing out poetry from between the arid stones in this austere yet not uninteresting repertoire. His booklet-note is correspondingly clear-sighted and Aurora's recording quality is clear yet atmospheric.

Norwegian Imperatives

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