Landene som forsvandt / Nowherelands
Landene som forsvandt / Nowherelands
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Nowherelands is a song cycle by Peter Danstrup written for the vocal ensemble GLAS. Inspired by Bjorn Berges book ‘Nowherelands: An Atlas of Vanished Countries’, the 12 movements are jazz musician Peter Danstrup’s first a capella work. Stylistically comprehensive with rich harmonies and challenging rhythms this work perfectly applies to the unique style of GLAS, spiced up with indignation, enthusiasm, sarcasm and empathy.
New, modern vocal music is not an everyday occurrence in Denmark and certainly not this combination of a professional vocal ensemble and contemporary jazz and folk music. One could see the songs as a natural extension of current world-wide discussions about colonialism and national identity – only without a dogmatic and rigid attitude. The movements refer to historical events all over the world where small states have emerged and disappeared again due to wars, confrontations or disasters, and the songs serve as imaginary anthems and songs of freedom for these countries. Who knows about Labuan, East Rumelia and Van Diemens Land today?
Composer and lyricist Peter Danstrup has been around the Danish music scene since the 1970ies as a bass player, educator, headmaster and composer and his curriculum vitae continues to grow in all directions: an all-embracing musicianship, film- and book releases when not displaying his renowned bass playing in and around the artistic forerunners in ILK.
For 20 years the vocal ensemble GLAS has challenged the bordersof ensemble singing, specializing themselves in Bulgarian and Nordic tradition. The 6 professional singers all live in Denmark but has roots in Finland, Faroe Islands, Hungary, Poland – and Denmark.
Catalogue #: ILK326LP
Release date: 06-Aug-2021
Line-up:
Ania Rybacka: soprano
Katrina Petersen: soprano
Kamilla Kovacs: alto
Johanne Baadsgaard Lange: alto
Else Schantz Juutilainen: contralto
Maria Kynne: contralto
Reviews
"The many genres are masterfully intertwined and performed by the singers in the ensemble. Each song plays on some well-known musical conventions, so the music feels familiar. And yet new land is conquered - it's a bit like studying the history of the countries that are now missing. They fill some gaps in our conventional narratives. The collaboration between Danstrup and the GLAS singers is one of the rare collaborations that only gets better after the first listening - and it should be continued, expanded and strengthened from an official point of view. Oh how good it is!"
- Niclas Nørby Hundahl, Seismograf
"Danstrup and GLAS have created a diverse piece of art with room for the merry and playful together with the agitating and battle-ready. And they should be very welcome to come again with more newly composed vocal music for the hungry people."
- Bjarne Søltoft, Jazz Special
