Lantern lectures: the title suggests a cosy gathering by lantern light, but composer Klas Torstensson (1951) places you right in the middle of the mighty nature of the far north. Torstensson, born in Sweden but working in the Netherlands for half a century, likes big cycles, such as his Nordic Cycle for orchestra and a series of works about the Swedish Queen Christina.
Lantern lectures was written around the turn of the century and consists of four parts that can also be performed separately, connected with short ‘Brass links’ for trumpet, trombone and horn. The movements are inspired by natural phenomena such as stratified rock formations, northern lights and glaciers and form a tightly composed construction of imposing proportions.
Brute force of sound reminiscent of Varèse is counterbalanced by wilful lyricism. In the angular brass sections, Torstensson proves himself a distant descendant of Stravinsky. Conductor Christian Karlsen and Norrbotten NEO impressed at the end of 2018 with their complete performance in the Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam; they do so again on this recording from a year later.
(Joep Stapel/NRC)
Composers in the crosshairs of our attention