According to Niels Rønsholdt, 'Country' is a highly personal interpretation of the concerto format as it is shaped as a song cycle for singing cellist and chamber orchestra.
"'Country' is about origin and authenticity, it reflects upon what it means to come from somewhere and how we - in good and bad - are shaped by or origin. The soloist in this very unusual cello concert plays a sort of role as a country singer. The music and the texts are based partly on archive material from the American country/folk tradition and partly on paraphrases of the country genre," Niels Rønsholdt explains and continues:
"The notion of authenticity is challenged and dissolved because bits and pieces from musical and cultural expressions are moved, re-arranged, copied and imitated in the shape of strange bastards. As a specific example, the cellist plays this classical European instrument as if it was a guitar."
As a concerto 'Country' takes its starting point in the renowned cellist Jakob Kullberg rather than in the cello as an instrument. The soloist part is developed in close collaboration with Kullberg and the basic form as a kind of concerto/song cycle is based on his fine ability to sing.
Jakob Kullberg is a renowned virtuoso cellist, but he is also well known for his willingness to experiment. The last time he premiered a cello concert published by Edition·S was 'Night Phase' by Kasper Rofelt including extensive passages of improvisation for the soloist.
Read through the score of Niels Rønsholdt's 'Country' here.
NIELS RØNSHOLDT: COUNTRY
Sunday 26 May, 18:00
Chamber Hall, NOSPR, Katowice (PL)
Performed by Jakob Kullberg & New Music Orchestra/Orkiestra Muzyki Nowej
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