With the CD Rosenbad · Pantomime the recording of Danish composer Bent Sørensen’s trilogy Papillons is complete. The CD is recorded by two Nordic  heavyweights within chamber music: Esbjerg Ensemble from Denmark and the Stenhammar Quartet from Sweden, and as soloist: the virtuos pianist Katrine Gislinge.

“Telling the same totally different story”

Each of the three works in the trilogy: Mignon, Pantomime and Rosenbad, uses the same anchoring piano part across its movements, but each varies the order of those piano movements and places them in a different instrumental context: Mignon is scored for piano and string ensemble; Pantomime for piano and ensemble of strings, winds and percussion and Rosenbad for piano quintet. Sørensen has likened the compositional process to “telling the same totally different story.”

All works on Rosenbad · Pantomime are premiere recordings, and all works, including the Fantasia Appassionata, were dedicated to Sørensen’s wife, the pianist Katrine Gislinge, who is one of the most significant pianists in Scandinavia.

The first part of the triology Mignon, recorded by Lapland Chamber Orchestra, Katrine Gislinge and John Storgårds, received numerous great reviews, including five stars in the BBC Music Magazine and Diapason, and was awarded as Album of the Year on Danish National Radio P2.

Release concerts in Hamburg and Esbjerg

The release of the CD is celebrated with two concerts in Hamburg on 20 March and in Esbjerg on 21 March. The concerts will feature Bent Sørensen’s Pantomime as well as the world premiere of Bent Sørensen’s new work Falling Darkness, written for Esbjerg Ensemble and Frederik Gislinge (1938-2017), former oboist in Esbjerg Ensemble.

The concerts are also a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Esbjerg Ensemble and composer Bent Sørensen’s 60th birthday.