Aurora
Released January 14, 2022 by Warm Winters Ltd. as WW016
The word "aurora" is derived from the name of the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, who travelled from east to west announcing the coming of the sun. Vilhelm Bromander’s new suite titled aurora similarly signals the arrival of a new chapter in the Swedish bass player, composer and improviser’s creative endeavours.
Aurora is an album of ten pieces written for an extended woodwind ensemble. The music has a gentle, fragile and somewhat naive sound – perhaps a result of half the ensemble exploring new instruments (Bromander himself plays soprano saxophone). The instrumental identities are blurred; reeds, bowed strings and organ form together a warm, inviting, collective sounding body.
Aurora is an album of ten pieces written for an extended woodwind ensemble. The music has a gentle, fragile and somewhat naive sound – perhaps a result of half the ensemble exploring new instruments (Bromander himself plays soprano saxophone). The instrumental identities are blurred; reeds, bowed strings and organ form together a warm, inviting, collective sounding body.
The compositions themselves feel like glimpses of light, air and mystery. They are open-ended, floating, yet each composition still explores a specific theme, mood, or feeling – like trying to describe the scent of a flower, or the feeling of the wind gently caressing your neck. “I embraced trying to compose music as romantic and beautiful as I was able to” says Bromander” but contrasting this by playing it strictly, consciously not syncing breaths and phrasing. That tension, between the strict playing and the romantic compositions is for me a key to this music: like drone music cut up into smaller sections and pieces that when combined create melody.”
Vilhelm Bromander – soprano saxophone, pump organ and percussion
Johan Graden – clarinet, piano and pump organ
Mauritz Agnas – clarinet and double bass
Emma Augustsson – cello
Pelle Westlin – soprano saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet
Anton Svanberg – tuba
Johan Graden – clarinet, piano and pump organ
Mauritz Agnas – clarinet and double bass
Emma Augustsson – cello
Pelle Westlin – soprano saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet
Anton Svanberg – tuba
Released January 14, 2022 by Warm Winters Ltd. as WW016
"aurora is a singularly remarkable work of delicate woodwind and brass compositions."
– A Closer Listen
– A Closer Listen
"Contemplation leads to a surprising display of resilience and Bromander’s pensive compositions are a map through the outside chaos."
– Foxy Digitalis
– Foxy Digitalis
"Its harmonies push and pull for separate and synchronous emotivities, at once low and hopeful, elegiac jubilations, a cordial malaise."
– harmonic series
– harmonic series
"At its heart lies an attempt to interpret romantic music in a strict way. This results in a tension that gives the bittersweet music an eerie undertone."
– field notes
– field notes
"a luminous journey inside autumnal landscapes, lulled by the swaying of branches with scintillating melodic foliage."
– SilenceAndSound
– SilenceAndSound
"an extremely beautiful suite"
– Salt-Peanuts
– Salt-Peanuts