Ready for a tantalising tone-feast or two? This through-composed
version of a work first performed at the Winter Solstice in
Jutland 24 years ago, shows Danish composer Per Nørgård
at his most relaxed and rewarding. Intended for ten percussionists,
A Light Hour is divided into four sections, each with
its own melodic, rhythmic and textural characteristics; they
also draw on different traditions, such as Afro-Caribbean music
in Part II and the Far East in Part III. The composer specifies
that each player produce ‘bright’ and ‘dark’
sounds from ‘skin, metal and wood’, the music itself
organised according to his so-called ‘infinity series’.
True, that may sound overly schematic - and reminiscent of the
improvisational fads of the 1960s - but this is a carefully
notated, consistently inspired work that should have wide appeal.
As a recent convert to Nørgård - albeit his post-infinity-series
opera Der
göttliche Tivoli - I’m constantly astounded
by the range of ear-catching sounds he conjures from percussion
instruments. The opera - also a Dacapo offering - features a
hugely talented group of players called Hoptiquaxes, who underpin
the singers with music of vitality and vision. Here, the Percurama
Percussion Ensemble, made up of students and teachers from the
Royal Danish Academy of Music, is just as committed; as for
the airy, unstressed dynamics and detail of this recording,
it does the musicians proud. Indeed, the ‘tingle factor’
of this disc reminds me of Kroumata’s Encores,
superbly played and presented on BIS-SACD-1452.
So what of the work itself? Well, sometimes it’s best
to cut back on the analysis and let the music speak for itself.
Suffice it to say, A Light Hour presents a veritable
smörgåsbord of rhythms and sonorities, lightly flavoured
by xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel, gamelan and crotales. Surely
even those who shy away from such fare will be tempted by its
enticing sound-world? And although there’s real compositional
rigour here you’d never think it, such is the ease and
elegance of this music. Miraculously, Nørgård’s
artful combination and opposition of rhythms and textures makes
his inventions sound consistently fresh and spontaneous - and
that’s quite a feat over 60 minutes. Factor in exemplary
playing and sonics and I daresay you’ll be coming back
for more.
Dan Morgan
Percurama Percussion Ensemble/Gert Mortensen 
