Oerbos & Other Works Vol. II
Navona, 2022
8/10
Listen to Oerbos & Other Works Vol. II
This 3rd installment from the composer Peter Greve allows for solo, chamber, choral, and orchestral performers to all shine, where some narration even makes an appearance on pieces that can turbulent as well as beautiful.
“Oerbos (Primeval Forest)” opens the listen with the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra bringing both tension and grace to the cinematic swells and calmer moments of the precisely layered climate, and “In Memoriam” follows with Harry-Imre Dijkstra’s clarinet, Ephraim van IJzerlooij’s cello and Antal Sporck’s piano interacting with much warmth and grace.
In the middle, “Prelude, Chorale & Voluntary” recruits Wim Ruitenbeek on carillon and Fred Vogels handling organ samples on the mysterious and creative album highlight, while “Dialogues” showcases Markéta Soldánová’s flute, Petr Nouzovský’s cello, Lucie Kaucká’s piano and David Chevalier’s narration across 4 chapters of rich and poetic chamber sounds. The album exits on “Symfonietta”, where Stewart Clapp narrates and the Filharmonie Brno glides with dreamy, meticulous playing that you can’t not admire.
A listen with themes of nature, Greve is in very exceptional company who illuminate his vision with incredible fluidity and execution.
Travels well with: The Music Of Rain Worthington- Passages Through Time; The Music Of Michael Cohen- A Song For Silenced Voices