AURORA, the northern lights

Scandinavian music, like the landscapes of the North, is characterized by its very own hues of light – mysterious colors from a twilight universe in new shades. In AURORA, BREEZE interpretes compositions by Scandinavian composers who set the moods of their homeland to floating sounds. In addition to the quintet by the great Danish symphonist Carl Nielsen, the program also includes works by Anders Hillborg and Kalevi Aho, two of Scandinavia’s leading contemporary composers. Three short solo pieces by Mason, Bjornvedt and Aho bring out the characters of the different woodwind instruments. The program is rounded off by imaginative arrangements for woodwind quintet by the incomparable Icelandic songwriter Björk. In the concert version with (optional) video installation by video artist Paul Biessmann, AURORA becomes an all-round-experience, in which nature and light merge.

AURORA, the northern lights

Jill Jeschek, flute

Juri Vallentin, oboe

Annelien Van Wauwe, clarinet

Marceau Lefèvre, bassoon

Přemysl Vojta, horn

Paul Biessmann, video artist (optional)

Björk (1965-)

Ouverture

Todd Mason

‘Aurora Borealis’ for solo clarinet (2020)

Peteris Vasks (1946-) 

Wind Quintet No. 1 ‘Music for Fleeting Birds’

Björk (1965-) 

Pneumonia

Kaja Bjornvedt (1981- ) 

‘Ut’ for alto flute & electronics

Anders Hilborg (1954–)

Six Pieces for Wind Quintet

I – 

II –  

III Idyll 

IV with fury 

V very calm 

VI – 

— interval — 

Björk (1965–)

Jóga

Kalevi Aho (1949- ) 

Five mythical images for solo oboe

Melete 

Tahaleia 

Carl Nielsen (1865–1931)

Wind Quintet op. 43

I Allegro ben moderato

II Menuet

III Praeludium – Theme with Variations