On March 27, 2021, there will be a prèmiere of a new suite with three pieces for choir by Karin Rehnqvist – Time is calling to you!
The performance is done during the festival Svensk Musikvår in the concert hall Musikaliska, Stockholm.
Participating in the world première are Gustaf Sjökvist’s Chamber Choir, Mattias Rodrick, cello, and Anna Christensson, piano. The conductor is Florian Benfer.
The suite of about 20 minutes contains the choral pieces Världsklockan/The World Clock (composed 2013) and newly composed Natt/Night and Häftigt åskväder/Heavy Thunder (from 2021).
The lyrics are by the Swedish author Harry Martinson (1904–1978) and Karin Rehnqvist has chosen them from his collection Poems about light and darkness from 1971.
Karin Rehnqvist emphasizes the importance of being careful with herself and others in these times and says that her music “becomes softer, the sound more subdued”.
Constantly looking for lyrics to compose
– I read a lot of poetry, constantly looking for lyrics to compose, Karin comments.
– When I find something where there may be an opportunity for music, I make a line in the margin with a colored pencil. Maybe one day that particular poem needs tones, rhythms, timbre.
In Harry Martinson’s book Poems about light and darkness, there are many colors and lines, says Karin.
Maybe more compositions
– When I was going to do a piece for choir and cello in 2013, I chose the introductory poem Världsklockan/The World Clock.; Heavy seas eat on the mountains of time / and the mountains gather in the seas of time.
– What magnificent poetry!
– I made notes for more poems in Martinson’s book and thought that maybe it could be new pieces one day.
A choir conductor and a cellist asked for a piece, which turned into two; Night and Heavy Thunder. Together with The World Clock, they form a twenty-minute long suite, but each piece can also be performed separately.
