I composed Para dos violines" for Duo Gelland, first as a shorter piece - mainly what is now the first movement. For a project with the society Samtida Musik (Contemporary Music) I expanded the piece into a work of four ovements. On September 30, 2015, "Para dos violines" was premiered at the Culture House in Skarpnäck, South Stockholm. After the concert, Duo Gelland asked me if I would consdier adding a fifth movement. The completed five movement work was the ngive its first performance on June, 11, 2016 at a concert in Lübeck, Germany. "Des Menschen Wort vergeht" is a poem written by Karl Wolfskehl in 1934. It deals with man killing the word, how he drains it and twists its true meaning. It feels only too relevant today. I composed this work in 2013, commissioned by Swedish Arts Council for Vollen United who premiered it at the Sound of Stockhold Festival that same year. "Rite Now" is an old work, composed in 1991. I had planned to write a lyrical piece for string trio and electronics. The piece was, however heavily affected by an ongoing war and turned into something rather nasty. A string trio recorded nine voices to which I added percussion and electronics. "Rite Now" can be listened to as it is on this recording, or with strings and/or percussion playing along with the recording. It must be performed at very high volume, really loud! "SXQII" was composed in 2014 for the Stockhold Saxophone Quartet who premiered it on March 19, 2016, at a concert at Musikaliska, Stockholm. "Night Music" was composed in 2016 for Yoriko Asahara, Mats Jansson, Björn Malmqvist, and Bo Pettersson. It was commissioned by the ensemble with support from Helge Axson-Josson's foundation. Karin Almlöf's painting ont eh cover served as inspiration for the composition of Night Music.

Almost two years after the group's first album, What The Moment Brings, the follow-up is here. A few minutes into the first song, it becomes obvious why I fell in love with this music in the first place: the beautiful compositions and this outstanding group of musicians. The two strong and lyrical leaders are complemented by the superb rhythm section of Niklas Fernqvist, with his elegant tone, and Paul Svanberg, with his undeniable swing.

“The music on this CD is an artistic statement of Thomas Fonnesbæk’s bass playing and composing. Even though the members are the same as in Lars Jansson Trio this is Thomas’ work of art. Fonnesbæk’s music has a lot of strong grooves, exciting compositions, nice chords to “blow” on and some beautiful melodies.” –Lars Jansson

A live recording featuring the trio of Thomas Fonnesb�k (bass); Lars Jansson (piano); and Paul Svanberg (drums) which mixes standards with improvisations illustrating the give and take that occurs in ensembles of comprised of players that truly listen to one another.

After finishing the chorus ‘How dark, O Lord, are thy decrees’ in February 1751, Handel noted in the autograph score that he couldn’t continue his work on Jephtha because of eye problems. Later in the year, he regained his eyesight and was able to complete the work in the autumn. The problems returned however, and in January 1753 a London newspaper reported that ‘Mr Handel has at length, unhappily, quite lost his sight’. Jephtha was thus to become Handel's last oratorio, and indeed his last major work. It is nevertheless no less a masterpiece than his earlier works, and contains some of his noblest music.

The plot of this ‘Sacred Drama’ is loosely based on the story of Jephtha in the Old Testament: a father who in order to win the the Israelites’ struggle against the Ammonites makes a rash promise to God, and after his victory is compelled to sacrifice his own daughter. The situation gives rise to music of touching poignancy, as well as great choral set-pieces.

This rousing live performance, recorded in 2008 in the Stavanger Concert Hall, boasts a roster of soloists headed by the fine British tenor James Gilchrist as Jephtha, as well as the eminent Belgian choir Collegium Vocale Gent, all backed up by the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra. At the helm of these large forces is Fabio Biondi, the Baroque violinist and conductor who since 2005 has been artistic director of the Stavanger orchestra in the baroque and classical repertoires.

Giuseppe Verdi's second opera Un giorno di regno is one of the composer's least known works. The premiere in Milan in 1840 was a failure, which Verdi said was due to his own personal circumstances: During the creative process two of his children and his first wife died within two months. Despite the rather weak libretto, the stage work has its merits and captivates, for example, with fresh, catchy melodies that, although they cannot deny the influence of Rossini and Donizetti, are by no means imitative. Only in this opera does Verdi combine his renowned depth of musical characterization with the turbulent entanglements of opera buffa. Un giorno di regno offers an especially light-hearted Verdi experience. This recording of the two-at opera was taken live and features Cappella Aquileia, the Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno, and conductor Marcus Bosch alongside a stunning list of soloists.

Classical Music

Classical Music