Since his emergence on the musical scene in 2002 when his Symphony No. 1,
“Oceanic Days” was the winner of The Nordic Council Music Prize, Faroese composer
Sunleif Rasmussen has continued to make a name for himself and his island
home on the world music scene. Among his many striking compositions is a growing
corpus of works featuring the recorder. Beginning with his expansive concerto
for recorders and large orchestra, Territorial Songs (2008-09), Rasmussen sought
to expand the instrument’s persona and possibilities, freeing it from its historic
associations with the music of the Renaissance and Baroque, pushing it into new
territories. In this mission, the composer has been exceptionally fortunate to have
as muse and musical partner one of the greatest recorder players ever, Michala
Petri.
The current project represents an overview of works composed from 2009 to 2020.
All are scores featuring the recorder: as concerto soloist with a symphony orchestra,
(Territorial Songs), a string ensemble (Winter Echoes), an obbligato in a complex
choral setting (“I” ), chamber music (Flow), and unaccompanied (Sorrow and
Joy Fantasy), each work a milestone in Rasmussen’s musical development . As
always, Michala Petri brings each score to life with consummate artistry and is perfectly
matched by each of the ensembles performing with her. The entire package
is recorded and mastered in the DXD (DigitaleXtreme Definition) state-of-the-art
sound and will be made available in standard HD resolutions and SACD.