Vidar Kristensen: North-West Monsoon for Viola, Cello, Bassoon and Harp (2017) - Premiere

Vidar Kristensen: North-West Monsoon for Viola, Cello, Bassoon and Harp (2017)

Live recording of the first performance by Ensemble International.
Povilas Syrrist-Gelgota, Viola
Toril Syrrist-Gelgota, Cello
Roman Reznik, Bassoon
Delphine Constantin-Reznik, Harp
Lille Torungen, Arendal Kulturhus, Norway
24th of February 2018
Private photos from Alishan - 阿里山 and Taichung harbour - 臺中港 in Taiwan - 臺灣.

Composer's Note:
North West Monsoon is based on two folk songs from Taiwan.
The first folk song is called “When the North-West rain is pouring down - 西北雨直直落”. This is famous folk song for kids in Taiwan and the lyrics is about a fisherman that is going to his fiancee's home to propose. It is summer, and in the summer there is often short afternoon showers in Taiwan. On the way the rain starts pouring down, and the fish and insects are humanized and they join in the parade. There is an egret on the field, that loose her direction during the thunder showers, and they all pray to the God of the Land for help.
The first folk song appear in its complete form in the beginning and towards the end of the piece.
The second folk song appears only at the end of the piece, played on the viola. Simultaneously the bassoon play the first folk song, as if they are singing a duet.. The second song is called "Song of the Fisherman - 捕魚歌". This is a folk song of the Ami indigenous people. The Ami people is the largest of the sixteen recognized indigenous groups in Taiwan. The song is about a fisherman that, despite the waves and the storm, take his boat to the sea to go fishing. He throw his fishing net into the water and laugh out loud of happiness and joy when he catch a big fish.