in brief
16.11.2022

Hinsides godt og ondt

Michael Gira og Kristof Hahn: Live
Michael Gira. © Mark Benney
Michael Gira. © Mark Benney

Michael Gira og Kristof Hahn, begge kendt fra bandet Swans, har ganske givet kigget så langt ned i afgrunden, at den også ser ind i dem. Denne tilstand har Nietzsche på dybdeborende vis beskrevet i Hinsides godt og ondt. Men Gira og Hahn var ikke sjæleløse. Tværtimod viste de en ny sårbarhed og erfarne refleksioner over det mørke, deres kunst udspringer af. Princippet om maksimal lydstyrke blev holdt i hævd, så toner materialiserede sig og gik gennem marv og ben. 

Der var skåret ind til benet med den akustiske guitars repetitive, uforløste minimalisme, og Giras grusomme poesi i verdensklasse trådte knivskarpt frem. Stemmen var melodiøs, sort som natten og stærk på »The Beggar« fra Swans’ kommende album. Man kunne tænke om Gira, at han er et ubehageligt menneske, men i hans præsentation af »When Will I return«, der handler om et overgreb på hans kone, stod det smerteligt klart, at han blot fungerer som medium for menneskets ondskab.

Hahn lagde ikke en dæmper på sin fortid i noise, industrial og elektroakustik, da han loopende og legende opbyggede et støjende lydtæppe med sin distortede lapsteel, mens intensiteten andre steder blev afløst af rene toner, harmonisk melodiøsitet og vokal fuld af tysk Sehnsucht. Denne aften var det 50 års jubilæum for Roxy Musics debutalbum, og med en fortolkning af »If there is something« sendte Hahn en kærlig hilsen til bandets saxofonspiller, som er hovedinspirationen til hans unikke lapsteel-teknik.

I anledning af Music City Aarhus 2022 bringer Seismograf en serie artikler om musik og lydkunst i Aarhus. 

© Paw Ager

»For me, music is about curiosity and surprises – yet it’s also something in which you can feel right at home. Music resides within us all, in a physical way that sets it apart from any other art form. To me, music is something greater than the individual – something that will always outlive the individual. The good stuff, in other words ;) « 

Kaspar Kaae is an award-winning film composer, music producer, and songwriter, known for his work with bands such as CODY and Bug Chaser. He holds a Master’s degree in film composition from SDMK.  He has previously been a guitarist in a number of bands on the Danish indie scene, such as CODY, Broken Twin, and Bug Chaser. The latter is releasing the album My First Crippled Love in November. He was born in 1983 on Bornholm, but has lived in Copenhagen and Berlin throughout his adult life.

© PR

»Music is like a black hole that sucks you in and shoots you out on the other side of the universe.«

Francesco Rista is a guitarist working across classical and electric guitar. His recordings have been reviewed by international music magazines and broadcast on BBC and RAI Radio 3. After studying at the Royal Danish Academy of Music and Lund University, he focused on studio recordings, exploring guitar repertoire from the Baroque and Romantic periods to contemporary music, as well as the instrument’s varied tonal possibilities. Rista is currently based in Iceland, where he teaches guitar, composes music, and collaborates with contemporary composers.

 

© Villads Hoffmann
© Villads Hoffmann

Percussionist and composer David Hildebrandt is honoured for his virtuosic work with new music and his efforts to push the boundaries of what rhythm can be.

David Hildebrandt is among the recipients of this year’s honorary awards from the Wilhelm Hansen Foundation. He receives DKK 200,000 in recognition of his uncompromising work with new music and multi-percussion, as well as his ability to challenge conventional ideas about rhythm.

© Thor Brødreskift
© Thor Brødreskift
The 2026 Nordic Council Music Prize goes to Norwegian composers Kristine Tjøgersen and Benedicte Maurseth for Elja, a suite for the Kronos Quartet and Hardanger fiddle.
 
Rationale
© Carsten Seidel

»Who ever said that music is ‘just’ music? To me, it is anything but that: an urge to understand and explain it all. A piece of jewelry I wear every single day. A joy that can, at times, run deep. An ever-changing imprint of millions of stitches in my heart. A longing to disappear.«

Henrik Marstal is a musician, author, and music researcher. He holds a PhD in musicology, is a senior lecturer at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory, and frequently appears in the media as an expert source on music. His areas of interest include contemporary music, such as electronic music. This winter, he will release both a new album with the pop group ibens and a book about Else Marie Pade, published by the British publishing house Bloomsbury.