Eldbjørg Hemsing, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra & Tan Dun - Tan Dun: Fire Ritual (2019)

The first encounter between Chinese composer Tan Dun and Norwegian violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing took place in 2010 during the Shanghai World Expo, when Hemsing premièred Tan’s Love Concerto. Both have strong roots in the traditional music of their native countries, and out of this meeting between traditions a fruitful collaboration has developed which also involves an investigation of the music that happens here and now. In Hemsing's words, the encounter ‘opened up my musical horizons’ and she has since performed a number of the composer's works involving the violin. Fire Ritual, the concerto that lends its name to the present album, was composed with Hemsing in mind.
It exists in a version for violin and Chinese traditional orchestra, as well as the one recorded here, which Hemsing and the Oslo Philharmonic premièred in September 2018, conducted by the composer. For Eldbjørg Hemsing, Tan Dun has also created the concerto that opens the disc, Rhapsody and Fantasia, based on earlier works. Both works reflect the composer’s memories of growing up barefoot in the countryside, and his later experiences of bringing together the shamanistic and spiritual world of his childhood with the discipline and philosophy of Peking Opera. Or in the composers own words: ‘a reflection of those early memories of my youth, but through the lens of my current musical soundscape’.

“The piece is centered on the note ‘re’ of the solfege scale- calling for the REturn of souls and the REbirth of all victims of war so that they may RElive another life, and love once more.” – Tan Dun

Eldbjørg Hemsing, violin
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Tan Dun, conductor

Tracklist:

1. Violin Concerto "Rhapsody & Fantasia": Ia. Rock the Violin in Rhapsody. Hip-Hop 06:37
2. Violin Concerto "Rhapsody & Fantasia": Ib. Rock the Violin in Rhapsody. Malinconia 03:59
3. Violin Concerto "Rhapsody & Fantasia": Ic. Rock the Violin in Rhapsody. Hip-Hop 01:51
4. Violin Concerto "Rhapsody & Fantasia": IIa. A Dream Out of Peking Opera. Dolce molto 11:06
5. Violin Concerto "Rhapsody & Fantasia": IIb. A Dream Out of Peking Opera. Andante 03:00
6. Violin Concerto "Rhapsody & Fantasia": IIc. A Dream Out of Peking Opera. Adagio - Allegro 06:07
7. Violin Concerto "Fire Ritual": I. Moderato 06:21
8. Violin Concerto "Fire Ritual": II. Andante 02:58
9. Violin Concerto "Fire Ritual": III. Moderato 07:52
10. Violin Concerto "Fire Ritual": IV. Moderato 07:41
11. Violin Concerto "Fire Ritual": V. Moderato 04:06