New Norwegian piano concerto - "Echoes of Oslo"
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Live Klassisk2 min read|13. December 2023
Eyolf Dale and Telemark Kammerorkester: "Echoes of Oslo"
It is not every day that we get to experience a new Norwegian piano concerto, but Eyolf Dale's "Echoes of Oslo" is exactly that . The acclaimed Norwegian jazz pianist and composer has, together with Telemark Kammerorkester, released a new CD that explores exciting intersections between jazz and classical music.
The concerto is based on a note recording Dale made on his phone in the late summer of 2019. He had an idea of composing a piece of considerable length and wanted a new approach. The idea of a concerto with orchestra struck him, and he sat down and visualised the piece through 45 minutes of piano improvisation. This raw material was subjected to thorough analysis, and things changed along the way, but the content, the form and the emotional landscape remained.
As he himself says: "During the process the material felt somewhat autobiographical. The concerto could be listened to with the image of a young man's life. First the immediate thought - the first impression - Impromptu. Then the formative teenage years - Youth. The impressions of travelling the world as an itinerant jazz musician - The Travels. A short pause, in fear of losing everything - the Epilogue. And last but not least, the one who has risen again - Rebirth."
The piano concerto is paired with the piece "Three moments in Oslo", which depicts musical impressions from three anonymous places in the capital.
"Echoes of Oslo" represents a fascinating meeting between jazz and classical music in which Dale and Telemark Kammerorkester invite listeners to explore an entirely new soundscape.
The CD can be heard here:
Photo: Aleksander Lindås