Ahvenniemi / Various - Tacit Citat Ion [CD]

Rebecka Sofia Ahvenniemi's debut TACIT-CITAT-ION is a reflection of contemporary Scandinavian composition - gestural, yet empowered by painstaking attention to detail. Where other composers' work ends, Ahvenniemi only begins. Breath sounds, glottal stops, microphone static, white noise, electronic interferences, the percussive friction of instrument bows - these byproducts of music are the backbone of TACIT-CITAT-ION, yielding a truly unique auditory experience. Internationally educated and performed, Ahvenniemi exemplifies the new generation of musical tradition in the Nordic countries. Elements from previous musical epochs are eclectically drawn upon, such as romantic operatic singing in Dada-aria or the mix of classical and jazz elements in L'operette d'amour. Each of the works individually engages in reflecting the traditions of music and the surrounding society. The echoes of traditions are brought into the context of contemporary music through specific choices concerning scores, treatment of sound, and sound technology. Perhaps most importantly, there is a unique philosophy behind this music which is unfussy yet avantgarde - no minor feat by any means. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the album's eponymous track Tacit-Citat-ion, a post-modern composition for string quartet stylistically reminiscing about the ethereal qualities of composers such as Kaija Saariaho, Salvatore Sciarrino, Giacinto Scelsi, and Hans Abrahamsen. The title refers to the idea that no work appears outside of a historical context of musical codes. It is no wonder, then, that the Norwegian Composer's Society willingly supported the creation of this album: with it's prominent intellectual quality and uncompromising melange of stylistic elements, Ahvenniemi's compositions encompass the late-breaking zeitgeist of Nordic and contemporary European composition like few others.