Strokes of Imagination – Oslo Sinfonietta @ Ultima

Children encountering the piano for the first time, observed composer György Kurtág, often fearlessly experiment, attack and caress it. Begun in 1973, his (Games) captures these spontaneous encounters, here arranged for ensemble by Oliver Cuendet.Játékok

Mischievous instrumental explorations also characterise the brand-new works for Oslo Sinfonietta by Anna Berg and Øyvind Mæland. In T, Berg creates a rich tapestry of sound, where threads from ancient tradition are woven into the work. The piece for solo violin and ensemble is inspired by the đàn bầu, a stringed instrument considered to be one of the few ancient Vietnamese folk music instruments. Berg transposes the đànbầu’s intricate ornamentation to the delicate strings of Guro Kleven Hagen’s violin.he Grammar of Ornament

In, Øyvind Mæland is interested in the shifts between breaths and bow strokes, and other hindering transitions which musicians usually try to cover up. Rejecting classical performance ideasl, he delves into minuscule instrumental holes, cracks and glitches, letting the poetry of imperfection shape the music. Strokes of Imagination

Programme

Øyvind Mæland: for ensemble (2024, WP)Strokes of Imagination

Anna Berg: for solo violin and ensemble (2024, WP)The Grammar of Ornament

György Kurtág: (1973-2010), arr. Oliver Cuendet (2016), selectionJátékok

Read more and buy your tickets – and be sure to count down the days!here