Zealand

Morten Kargaard’s new Album Zealand defies all efforts at clear classification. It is a blend of two genres which at first glance don’t lend themselves to interaction but fuse together here to form a new and innovative sound. The Danish composer and guitarist Morten Kargaard and his septet take us on a breath-taking journey between classical and rhythmical music. His compositions represent outstanding musical flexibility – a fearless embracing of the new and unusual whilst at the same time displaying a fundamental understanding and respect for traditional structure. His musical vision releases the instruments from their normal roles as defined in the classical context and allows them space to move in other diverse directions. The concept behind Morten Kargaard’s music came into being in the summer of 2012. After graduating from both the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen and the Berklee School of Music in Boston, he felt equally at home in the worlds of classical and rhythmical music. Over the years, however, he consistently observed how little interplay there was between these two genres. Henceforth, Kargaard’s passionate aim would be to bring these two art forms together - to develop a framework which would allow both stylistic languages to have their say, to show off their individual traits and their energy, with neither one overpowering the other. The music soon began to take shape and Kargaard painstakingly selected the instrumentation for his musical vision. None of the instruments should possess the tonal character or power to influence or overshadow the overall impression: so no drum kit which would over-represent the rhythmical fraction, no overwhelming brass or strings which might suggest a classical bias. However, an oboe and a flugelhorn prove to be the perfect companions to the double bass, complemented by a single violin, the viola and the cello, which in a new fashion assume the role of the harmonic basis. And then there’s the guitar, which occasionally takes on the instrumental role of the harp or relieves the strings of their part in the harmonic basis. The slightly abrasive sound of the oboe intertwines with the figures of double bass. Multi-faceted strings which take on a guitar line and even imitate the sound of drums. A colourful and equally transparent world in which the unexpected plays into the hands of tradition and which demonstrates in an innovative and ground-breaking way what these seven instruments are capable of producing once they are released from their normally-accepted roles. It is a thoroughly melodious entity which reveals itself to the listener. Thematically, Morten Kargaard’s Zealand is inspired by the diversity of the Nordic countries, the playing of light on the almost omnipresent water and the expanse of the landscape together with the openness and curiosity of the composer regarding the inherent spirituality of nature and life. Morten Kargaard on his compositions: A Humble Prayer - one of those rare compositions which almost write themselves. This melody came to me out of a particular state of mind and ready to unfold itself before me. Pleased with this inspiration and its possibilities I wanted to develop and arrange this excellent material further, but each time I attempted to introduce more of my ideas into the composition I got the message I’m already finished! In the end I realised that this music had its own life and character, which needed no additional touches in order to flourish. Hence the title of the piece, which came out of humble respect for the music itself. The Wind - this piece was commissioned by the Music Association of Fanø, a small Danish island which is particularly loved for its 20kms of wonderful North Sea beach. My idea was somehow to describe the ever-present wind in the area. I don’t hear the wind as a specific melody itself, rather as a short rhythmical phrase which carries with it the transparency and continuous movement of the wind. It turned out that this basic idea offered numerous opportunities for development, which climax in a truly energetic musical expression. Folk Song - childhood memories are sometimes mysterious. As a child I spent many holidays in my grandparents’ summer retreat on the previously-mentioned island of Fanø. There were two things I feared most at the time: quicksand and folk music. Much later I was composing music for my septet when a folk melody came into my head, completely out of the blue. At first I discounted it categorically, but the melody was persistent and kept on coming back to me. So in the end I gave in and made it into a homage to Fanø and its folk music. Painter´s Garden - this composition is a homage to the achievements of impressionism and is reminiscent of the paintings by the Danish impressionist, Peder Severin Krøyer. It is the ‘most classical’ of the compositions on this album. You Must Believe - the idea floating around in my head was to experiment with unequal metres and to leave space for solos on the guitar and trumpet; to allow a sort of river to form within the piece where melodies would have a counterpoint to the metric and the music. Swan Song - a composition commissioned by the Tønder church to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the death of Hans Adolph Brorson, a famous Danish Bishop and writer and inspired by his collection of poems Swan Song. The piece is a mythical reference to the final journey on earth and tries to describe and examine the various states of mind which are associated with life’s final experiences. The music begins with a cello solo, which then pervades and develops alongside the various themes of the composition. A Boy´s Dream - commissioned by the Furesø Music Association. I grew up in this part of Denmark and Furesø is the third-largest lake in the country. For this composition I travelled back to the time when I was about 10 years old and tried to recapitulate the thoughts and feelings I had as a young boy; not only the dreams which life promised, but also the dreams which the night had in store. It is a happy melody which towards its end develops into a heavenly atmosphere. Line-Up: Morten Kargaard - Guitars, Composition Mette Termansen - Oboe, English Horn Maj Berit Guassora - Trumpet, Fugelhorn Karen Johanne Pedersen - Violin Jákup Lützen - Viola Samira Dayyani - Cello Lars Johnsen - Doublebass