Komponist Composer
Svein Hundsnes
REVIEWS
"The name Svein Hundsnes was new to me, but this Norwegian composer (born in 1951) has a distinctive voice and a real feel for the piano, as his suite Shades of Light reveals." (James Jolly, Gramophone; Listen on: Gramophone 5/21, The Listening Room)
CD Hundsnes-Mikkola; Piano Sonata No.2, Winter Dances, Shades of Light
"Composer Svein Hundsnes has learned his metier. Here one experiences really new Norwegian music and dives into a very special sound cosmos.
Pianist Laura Mikkola plays flawlessly, whether in the wonderful colors and intermediate tones of the two impressionist pieces or in the more virtuosic and adventurous sonata, her playing is convincing at every moment with clarity, assurance, and a brilliant skill that is both technical and interpretive."
(Remy Franck, Pizzicato Magazine) Full review in Pizzicato
CD Hundsnes-Mikkola; Clavinatas 1-7, Piano Sonata No.1, Downtoned Beats
"(...) Piano Sonata No.1, whose well-written cascades of sound are a joy to listen to. (... ) Laura Mikkola is brilliant, working with nuance and clarity and just the right amount of emotion for this beautiful and intense work. If you don’t already know Hundsnes’s work, I encourage you to get to know it." (Stephanie Boyd, American Record Guide) Complete review on American Record Guide
CD Hundsnes-Mikkola; Clavinatas 1-7, Piano Sonata No.1, Downtoned Beats
"Laura Mikkola's Hundsnes album profoundly unites different musical influences. The new Hundsnes album by master pianist Laura Mikkola introduces a fascinating composer whose pieces integrate popular music elements exceptionally seamlessly with the richness of art music.
This Grand Piano release is framed by seven Clavinatas, rhythmically lively, at the same time emotionally ambivalent pieces. At the heart of the album is a more wide-ranging and emphatic First Piano Sonata, together with the pop-influenced yet profound Dance Suite Downtoned Beats, which has more distance to actual dance music than was the case with the Baroque dance suite.
To my ears, more than sounding like cross-over, this sounds like pure art music, because influences are so naturally, so deeply and expressively developed. Rhythm and plasticity, free tonality and jazz harmonies, clear ideas and a kaleidoscopic changing palette - all in a good and at the same time unexpected balance.
Laura Mikkola's classical approach honors Hundsnes' aspirations in full, and contributes to the incorporation of these pieces into the piano repertoire." (Kare Eskola, YLE , Finnish Broadcasting) Full review
CD Hundsnes-Mikkola; Clavinatas 1-7, Piano Sonata No.1, Downtoned Beats
Pianisten Laura Mikkola (f. 1974) har sedan begynnelsen av karriären uppvisat ett genuint intresse för den levande samtida musiken.
Norska tonsättaren Svein Hundsnes (f. 1951) uppvisar en imponerande stilistisk mångfald i sin produktion och så inte minst i de sju ensatsiga pianostyckena som benämnts clavinata. Hundsnes första pianosonat söker sig till en början utforskande fram, ömsom rättframt, ömsom försynt, men alltid med en välartikulerad struktur. Mellansatsen är drömsk och svävande, koloristisk, och den tredje fortsätter på samma spår om än i snabbare tempo.
I den fyrdelade sviten Downtoned Beats har inspiration hämtats från samtida dansrytmer. Rytmerna är ingalunda riviga utan snarare sävligt sugande. I inledande Cymbal Prelude and Distant Groove används pianot påhittigt. Mikkola spelar med utsökt stilkänsla och raffinerade klangliga kvaliteter.
(Wilhelm Kvist, Hufvudstadsbladet) Full review
CD Hundsnes-Mikkola; Clavinatas 1-7, Piano Sonata No.1, Downtoned Beats
Although separate works, the Clavinatas go together in small groups or as a larger set quite well, like a series of self-sufficient studies.
Downtoned Beats (2013 15) is to my mind the most impressive and complete work here, a dance suite in four movements mixing elements and forms from the Baroque as well as modern pop music, though without any hint of pastiche, and creates something new. (Guy Rickards, Gramophone) Read full review in Gramophone
«EXCITING (Headline)
Svein Hundsnes obviously values construction, and he is capable of unifying constructive elements with musical dynamite in his first string quartet. In this dense, dissonant tone language there is complete balance between exciting rhythms and focused melodic formulae.» (Bergens Tidende, Kjell Leikvoll)
«CONCERTS OFF THE BEATEN TRACK (Headline)
In Sinfonietta Romantica the composer Svein Hundsnes investigates the constructive possibilities between late romaticism and contemporary techiques. For contemporary composers it can be something of a challenge to find his place in the wilderness of expressive and technical possibilities, but it no longer necessarily seems to be a goal in itself to produce something just for the novelty of it; originality is equally much about developing previous techniques in a new way. Hundsnes's fresh approaches can be reaffirmed in NRK P1, where Mogens Ellegaard performs his Partita for accordion. (Programbladet, Knut Høyland)
«STIMULATING CONTEMPORARY SOUNDS (Headline)
Svein Hundsnes's Sinfonietta Romantica is sharper around the edges. While the piece as such has a Mahler'ian dramturgy, it is above all a good example of the pluralism we at least may witness in contemporary music, where Hundsnes unifies romantic melody, modern soundscapes and jazz in a highly personal style.» (VG, Jarle Soeraa)
«EUPHONIOUS FLUTE CONCERTO (Headline)
The excellent soloist Vidar Austvik was able to make full use of his instrument on a broad scale, from singable flute passages to breath and whistle sounds. It was obvious that he enjoyed playing this music, and he had every reason to do so. Hundsnes has written a euphonius work, based on secure craftsmanship, good taste and high imaginative ability. Hundsnes's utility of small motives throughout the piece is state of the art. There was perfect balance between the flute and the orchestra.» (Stavanger Aftenblad, Arnfinn Boe-Rygg)
«EXCITING FIRST PERFORMANCE (Headline)
The ensemble offered higly mature ensemble playing in Svein Hundsnes's wind quintet His Majesty's Sound Amusement. In this work the composer takes 18th Century court music as point of departure. The work will find its place in the repertoire for wind quintet because it offers a tasteful mixture of playful humor and exciting rhythms – wrapped in a highly elegang variation technique. With musical wit Hundsnes demonstrated his deep understanding of the ensemble type, and is in complete command of compositional craftsmanship.» (Bergens Tidende, Sigvard Lepsoe)
«FRESH SYMPHONY (Headline)
Hundsnes's thinking and writing is highly orchestral. He builds up long lines derived from melodic or rhythmic motives and takes well care of the timbral possibilities of the orchestra in his First Symphony. (Bergens Tidende, Rolf Davidson)
«SUBSTANTIAL CLOSING CONCERT (Headline)
The last concert of this year's Chamber Music Festival was an enriching experience, in which Svein Hundsnes' Rilke Lieder was the most interesting piece.» (Tromsoe Newspaper, Ulf Sverresvold)
«NEW MUSICAL GARMENT FOR GARBORG'S HAUGTUSSA (Headline)
Svein Hundsnes has set music to 10 of the poems in Garborg's Haugtussa in his new cycle The Moonlight Maidens for female choir. Bel Canto Vestfold impressed their audience in this demanding a-capella work. An exciting song cycle, performed with secure intonation, rhythmic precision and very good communication with their audience. The Birds seemed to be an immediate hit, and the audience was obvioulsy captured by the changing moods in this new Haugtussa cycle.» (Sandefjord Blad, Knut Soeyland)
«BITTERWSEET (Headline)
Contemporary Norwegian Dance in Stord Kulturhus yesterday. Collage Dance Company completely seduced the audience with four ballets, two of which were completely new. Probably was Borobudur, chorography Soelvi Edvardsen and music composed by Svein Hundsnes, the most exciting work. Most of all this is due to the Indonesian-inspired stylish, suggestive, exciting rhythms of Hundsnes's music and four female dancers in sensual costumes. (Haugesunds Avis, Signe Bjoervik)