Fanfare US 1. review
4 stars: Chamber music by this abstract expressionist Dane asks effort to appreciate, but its egalitarianism includes all listeners
BORUP-JØRGENSEN Intrada, op. 149. Trio, op. 134. Ricostruzioni, op. 71. Malinconia, op. 68. Distichon, op. 67. Rapsodi, op. 114/3. “mikroorganismer,” op. 20B  Esbjerg Ens; Kristoffer Hyldig (pn)  OUR 8.226925 (65:58)

OUR Recordings continues its advocacy for Danish composer Axel Borup-Jørgensen (1924-2012) with this CD, which features chamber music for ensembles of various sizes. The label has a special relationship with this music, as recorder virtuosa Michala Petri, who launched the label in 2006 (with guitarist Lars Hannibal), enjoyed a practically filial relationship with the composer, who wrote several works for her. Although he went to Darmstadt in 1959 and again in 1962, Borup-Jørgensen never identified with that “school” of composers per se, and his largely atonal works, while highly polished, sound more intuitive than rule- or process-based. Whether you like his music or not, you cannot say that it lacks integrity or individuality.
You also cannot say that it invites casual listening, although it is open to any listener who approaches it with patience and without prejudice. These works were composed over the course of several decades, but what they have in common is a challenge to listen closely and to put oneself in the composer's hands. For the most part, this is dark music, and uncompromising, but every musical brushstroke feels well-considered and precise. One thing that helps the listener is that the music progresses slowly enough for him or her to think about each note. The listener is not overwhelmed with musical events. We all know that, when they enter an art museum, some visitors head straight for the Renoirs and others for the Robert Motherwells and Clyfford Stills. I would place Borup-Jørgensen amongst the abstract expressionist composers, if I may, because his music is not figurative yet it is intense and emotional. One hears this in all of the works on this CD—for example, in Malinconia, for string quartet, which reads as a reflection on mortality, or in the psychic violence of Distichon, scored for violin and piano. How does one listen to such music? At the risk of seeming flippant, the answer is that there is no “how” other than simply hearing it and thinking about it as one hears it.
The Esbjerg Ensemble, comprised of ten musicians, is Denmark's oldest professional chamber music ensemble to have an international profile. On this CD, there are four guest musicians, including pianist Kristoffer Hyldig, who frequently play with the ensemble. (The other guest musicians are violinists Joel Bardolet and Bernat Prat Sabater, and hornist Niklas Kallsoy Mouritsen.) All of the performances project assurance, state-of-the-art technical security, and the will to communicate. Most of the performances were recorded in what looks like the cozy living room of a manor house, and the sound is correspondingly intimate, and as precise as the music-making. The only flaw, from my perspective, is the lack of breathing room between the seven pieces on this CD. They almost flow into each other; I think it would have been better to insert gaps of 20 seconds or longer. Hit the pause button.
My first impulse is to say that this music is not for everyone, but I don't think Borup-Jørgensen intended to exclude anyone. Be prepared, though, to put distractions aside and to devote mental energy to these seven works. In today's culture, I know that is a big ask. Raymond Tuttle October 2024

4 stars: Chamber music by this abstract expressionist Dane asks effort to appreciate, but its egalitarianism includes all listeners.