Zealand Morten Kargaard Septet

• 1 A Humble Prayer 03:51
• 2 The Wind 09:34
• 3 Folk Song 05:15
• 4 Painterõs Garden 04:12
• 5 You Must Believe 07:44
• 6 Swan Song Intro 04:45
• 7 Swan Song 06:37
• 8 A Boy's Dream 05:32
• Total Runtime 47:30

Info for 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.

Mette Termansen, oboe, english horn
Maj Berit Guassora, trumpet, flugelhorn
Karen Johanne Pedersen, violin
Jákup Lützen, viola
Samira Dayyani, cello
Morten Kargaard, guitar
Lars Johnsen, bass
Guest:
Ida-Marie Arendt, 2nd violin (on "Painter's Garden“)

Morten Kargaard
The new wind of today's contemporary music. A true hybrid of elements from classical and rhythmic music traditions occurs when musicians from both worlds meet in an innovative collaboration.

“Kargaard is a master of creating musical colors, and mixes the instruments in many different ways, while also creating differing small groups which are brought out front of the background texture of the moment” (Budd Copman)

This album contains no booklet.