Hillborg: Lost Landscapes

Anders Hillborg is Sweden's leading composer: Born in 1959, the artist has devoted himself entirely to composition since 1982, and his music is performed by the world's leading orchestras and conductors. This release on Alpha is part of the collaboration between the label and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. It contains three works by the composer. "Through Lost Landscapes" (first performed in 2020) illustrates the richness of his musical world: spectacular sound textures, moments of extreme tension, and the interplay of light and shadow. "When I compose, especially for orchestra," says Hillborg, "I like to create sounds that cannot really be identified." The use of rare instruments and the influence of electronic music characterize "Sound Atlas", which was first performed in 2019 and is reminiscent of the world of Sibelius. These two works, the first conducted by Pekka Kuusisto and the second conducted by Brad Lubman, are recorded here for the first time. In 2013, Anders Hillborg wrote "The Strand Settings" at the request of Renée Fleming, based on texts by the Canadian poet Mark Strand... The Swedish soprano Ida Falk Winland delivers an inspired performance, again conducted by Pekka Kuusisto.