Øivind Farmen - Norwegian Safari

As a portable version of the piano, the modern accordion is an instrument with a broad spectrum of references, both musical and social, and has an important place in today�s music scene. The range of styles represented in this collection of pieces by contemporary composers reflects this. The soloist is the award winning instrumentalist �ivind Farmen. The CD begins with H�kon Berges Girlander (Garland). In this piece the musical phrases twist outwards in repeated circular movements. The circle is also present as a feature of the harmony. A similar idea can be heard in Wolfgang Plagge�s Fractals. Plagge conducts a dialogue between pedal notes and light echo effects, which creates a composed resonance on the instrument. Antonio Bibalo�s Sonata quasi una fantasia is the longest piece on the disc, and is a narrative with many layers, unfolding in a way that testifies to the composer�s experience of music theatre. In Erlend Skomsvoll�s Piece for Accordion the composer allows the musical form to move forward organically, with frequent use of unexpected harmonic building blocks. Meditatio by Terje Bj�rklund is a piece that has a lyrical style and an atmosphere akin to film music. Finally Sigmund Lillebjerka brings us back to a folky, playful idiom with his Dazzle Dance.Personnel: �ivind Farmen (accordion), Elise B�tnes (violin)