Knut Vaage: Transit – BIT20 Ensemble

Transformed music.

Trying to define the music of Knut Vaage both stylistically and estetically may arise some academic controversy. Early serialistic Stockhausen, or a 60´s modernism with the sensuality of Berio and Cage, are these possible models? Either way there is no getting by the fact that Vaage subconsciously has adopted the regularity of beat found in the “folk music” of his generation: pop, rock and jazz music. The chord of a rhythm guitar and the bigband´s riff are present, although extensively transformed. This also qualifies for references to Hindemith, Stravinsky and Bartok, all transformed but unexpectedly found on the aesthetic agenda of our age.

Since 1983, Knut Vaage has worked freelance and he now works full-time as a composer. He is active within many styles of music, though concentrating on improvised and contemporary music, and has investigated the boundaries between improvisation and composed music. Although many of Vaage´s works makes use of texts, instrumental music is still an important part of his works – works that have been performed on concerts and festivales home and abroad. To perform his music on this album is BIT 20 Ensemble and the conductors Ingar Bergby and Ricardo Odriozola.