If not hot then certainly warm on the heels of his first solo piano outing, The Trondheim Concert, which came out in October last year, Berg now releases another album of solo improvisations. Trondheim made it into my personal top two of 2022 and I suspect that The Hamar Concert will finish up near the top of my list this year. Whilst Trondheim had taken 3 years to make it from recording to release, this set took about 370 days as it was recorded around the time that Trondheim was released, though I see from his website that there has been a Nidaros Concert release in between.
On Hamar, as on Trondheim, Berg displays a wonderful,
romantic lyricism. The (not so) imaginatively titled first piece Part 1a opens with a sparse waltz as if
Berg is trying out the piano. Whilst this piece builds across its six minutes,
even when the left hand adds weight there is still a tragic, elegiac melody
riding above. It’s a Romeo and Juliet soundtrack, and we know how that ends. By
contrast 1b is all weight for its
opening section, thumping bass chords dominate proceedings before they fall
away and are followed by elegant, wandering musings. The closing section is a
mad, whirling chase; a perfect ballet score.
Part 2 is the
soundtrack to a dripping spring thaw. More of that lovely, delicate elegance,
though, as it develops, something more tragic begins to undermine the mood. The
weight of the left hand begins to overwhelm the right before a balance is struck
and they play intricately around each other; the right hand melody eventually
wins out. It is really lovely stuff. Part
3 is a dramatic highlight. Almost Wagnerian it is full of sound and fury;
an engrossing dense deluge of notes that breaks into a dancing film noir
soundtrack. (I don’t know if Berg has written any soundtracks. Perhaps, he
should.)
Part 4 is the
pastoral piece, a perfect accompaniment for wide open Northumberland skies.
Tumbling notes, an optimistic melody has a sparse rhythm line beneath which
rises up to join the front line. I’ve already used the word ‘Lyrical’ and I
wonder if these melodies would suffer or benefit from words to enhance the
mood. (I see from his website that he has worked with singer Silje Nergaard - a
favourite of mine from when I used to play cassettes in the car - in the past so
perhaps she could have a go!).
Part 5 simply
confirms what many will suspect from listening to this album, namely that Berg
has three hands. It is elegant, dense, stunningly intricate but it is not
mechanical or purely craftsmanship. This is rich, emotional music.
Part 6 is a joyful r 'n' b stomper of the old school to which Berg adds his own flourishes. It’s
exciting, entertaining and uplifting all at once. Part 7 is more ballet music. There is so much movement and flow in
some of these pieces that it is impossible not to think in terms of moving
bodies.
He leaves us with
another piece that embodies the elegance and delicacy that has featured across
the previous hour. It’s a melody of frills over a simple rhythm, and, as with
much else on the album is a thing of beauty.
I’m getting to really like Espen Berg and I have a nasty
feeling that, as he is so prolific with his trio and various other groupings,
it could turn out to be a very expensive addiction, probably requiring another
visit to the home storage department at IKEA.
More information about Berg and his various groups and projects (and some good photos) can be found on his WEBSITE. He doesn’t have any solo dates in the UK planned but he is in London for a few days in February next year with Silje Nergaard at Pizza Express so a ticket for that might have to go on my Christmas list. Dave Sayer
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