A digital album with world premiere recordings of two rarities from Borup-Jørgensen's oeuvre, Entrée and Enhjørninger (Unicorns) I and II, will be released as well as new sheet music editions of the works.
The album was recorded by CRAS Ensemble, a guitar sextet specialising in contemporary music who often works closely with composers. Occasionally, however, the ensemble discovers older works that suit their line-up and this is exactly the case with Enhjørninger and Entrée.
The two works are rarely heard and never recorded before: both were written in the 1990s. For the new album, CRAS has recorded two different versions of Enhjørninger. The work is composed as an open score for 6-24 guitarists and consists of 11 short sections which the performers themselves can combine freely. This is why this release includes two versions of the piece: one performance doesn’t do it justice, as it has a clear identity, yet is never quite the same.
The album was recorded on tape using analogue recording equipment. The result is a warm, detailed and present recording, where the listener gets close to the pianissimo harmonics of the instruments.
Axel Borup-Jørgensen's scores are remarkable in its beautiful graphic form, but at the same time formidably precise and detailed (seen by contemporaries as bordering on the manic). CRAS was therefore dependent on the oral handing down of some of the guitarists who premiered the works. In connection with the recording, CRAS has therefore re-transcribed the sheet music and in this way given the works the best possble chance to live on. The new sheet music edition will be published by Edition-S.
The new release is celebratwed with a listening session and artist talk with CRAS and composer Niels Rosing-Schow on Friday 22 November at 19.00 in Musikhuset Copenhagen. Read more here.
The project is supported by Koda Kultur.