Award-winning musician and composer Helge Iberg releases two albums. Life Music consists of two works: a “quartet+1” on a grand scale, as well as a concerto for solo violin and strings. Helge Iberg’s Jazz-kammer is released simultaneously, recorded with a star-studded cast of Norwegian jazz musicians.
The un-commonality of life
The micro cosmos is explored in the first piece through eight movements – their assigned titles varying from the descriptive to the absurd. As a whole the movements are an analogy for life itself, from the first ‘Tentativo (First Steps)’ to the last ‘Discesa (Descent/Exit)’. Quartet for Life in it’s (Un)Commonality uses the same lineup as Messiaens famous Quartet for the End of Time, plus a marimba. Although playful and vital, the music also exudes dissolution and death at other times. The moods vary between the constructive and the destructive – from the safe to the dramatic, with Hans Christian Bræin’s clarinet the natural center of attention.
The meaningless life
With Sisyphus’ Dance of Endless Struggle, performed by The Norwegian Chamber Orchestra with Atle Sponberg as soloist, Iberg thematizes existentialism. The mythic figure King Sisyphus was cursed to push a boulder up a mountain, only for it to roll back down and he to repeat the action forever. A parallel to the meaninglessness of life; or the constant pursuit of perfection through the arts. Musically this is illustrated by a driving melody which stops, reflects, debates and dances – always moving.
A musician of our time
An original voice in the Norwegian cultural landscape, Iberg moves effortlessly between contemporary style music and jazz. He has written piano-, violin- and trumpet concertos, orchestral works, chamber music, musicals and opera. Iberg has won Prix Italia and Work of the Year, and has had several nominations for the Norwegian Spellemann and Edvard awards. He studied music at the University of Oslo, with renowned composers Olav Anton Thommessen and Ragnar Söderlind. Iberg is an engaged public voice and also an author of essays, articles and books.
