Beneath (cd)

Simon Crawford-Phillips (piano), Kungsbacka Piano Trio, Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, Malin Broman (violin & conductor)

Fagerlund: Beneath
Fagerlund: Remain
Fagerlund: Materie
Fagerlund: Stilla

Sebastian Fagerlund stands out as one of Finland's most celebrated contemporary voices, routinely drawing listeners in with his vivid narrative drive and visceral emotional depth. This compelling BIS release unites four of his works for varied instrumental forces, highlighting the profound spiritual and stylistic threads that tie his compositional universe together.

The album opens with Beneath for string orchestra, a piece that hovers dynamically between an ensemble work and a concerto, featuring a solo violin that acts as a "first among equals." The piano trio Remain holds immense emotional weight; completed on the exact day of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and dedicated to its people, it weaves fragments of Bach, Brahms, and Ravel into a powerful, three-movement testament to human resilience. The program is rounded out by the fiery solo violin showpiece Materie and the haunting, introspective dialogue of Stilla for violin and piano. Serving as the vital artistic linchpin across all four works is the phenomenal Malin Broman, who shifts effortlessly between soloist, chamber partner with the Kungsbacka Piano Trio, and director of the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra.