A Closer Listen
Hot on the heels of his soundtrack to Innocence on Moderna Records, Snorri Hallgrímsson presents a gorgeous EP on Deutsche Grammophon. The young Icelandic composer has made a name for himself through original scores, EPs, collaborations and an album, and is still growing by leaps and bounds. String players from the Reykjavík Orchestra, conducted by Viktor Orri Árnason, enhance the piano melodies and reinforce the EP’s theme of “hopefulness despite the horror,” an attempt to balance the tone of the ongoing news cycle.
The music is indeed soothing, starting with “Three Hour Cloud,” which begins wistfully, even mournfully, on a layer of cirrus strings. The cloud thickens in size and timbre; one can almost hear the rain. The piano takes a while to arrive, but adds grounding. Gently, as the orchestra recedes, Hallgrimsson begins to sing, his words a short poem in the middle of the cloud. With a sense of peace established, the composer turns to the main theme: “With Love Despite the Pain” contrasts two forces, but leaves no doubt which one will win. The music is slow and steady, drenched in a sense of perseverance.
The sonic centerpiece, “Sumrar” (“Becoming summer”) bursts into bloom, a reminder of seasons and cycles and Camus’ invincible summer. From this point forward, the music subsides into calm and quietude; one can hear the inside of the miked piano. Something has changed: a challenge withstood, a trauma endured, a fear conquered. Only a short time has passed, but the listener is refreshed, as if a breeze has pushed the humidity away. One can breathe again; one can move again; one can face the world again, no matter what news the day may bring. (Richard Allen)
Wed Oct 02 00:01:24 GMT 2024