This is a very unusual–and pleasurable–collection of 20th century works for assorted percussion for solo performer. The soloist in question here is Odd Borge Sagland, and it’s clear that he is thoroughly familiar with a wide range of instruments, particularly the marimba–and he also knows how to choose a program that will demonstrate his artistry while offering strong listener appeal. Rather than the predictably showy, gimmicky kinds of pieces we usually find on percussion recordings, each of these six works has a solid meditative character–no can banging here. In Joan Guinjoan’s Tension-Relax (1972), each instrument makes a brief opening statement, then falls in line above a steady, underlying rhythmic structure. Keiko Abe’s Dream of the Cherry Blossoms (1983) is for marimba and, as the title suggests, evokes falling cherry blossoms. It moves comfortably between tonality and atonality, enhanced by well-placed sprinklings of silence.
Sagland’s own composition, Hedda Gabler–Intermezzo for Marimba (1993), is a perky jaunt just two minutes long, and Harald Saeverud’s Rondo Amoroso is a melancholy music box memory, a sweet childhood lament. The program closes with Toshimitsu Tanaka’s Two Movements for Marimba (1965) and Arne Nordheim’s Response (1990). The latter work is for different kinds of percussion instruments (centered around the marimba) with added electronic sounds. The recording’s sonics are excellent and Sagland’s playing cannot be faulted. True, no one makes a recording such as this expecting wide audience appeal, but percussion specialists will find many rewards here. Your only regret will be that there’s no video to reveal how Sagland performs his magic. [12/11/2000]
