Artists:
Hans-Kristian Kjos Sørensen
percussion, voice
Nordic Voices
Stavanger Symphony Orchestra
Ilan Volkov
Conductor
Release date: 2024
BIS-2665 SACD
“Looking for something to blow the musical cobwebs away? Try Henrik Hellstenius.”
Gramophone Magazine
Henrik Hellstenius’ percussion concerto Public Behaviour provides a telling demonstration of the need for, and the perils (both external and internal) of community. The concerto is some respect a stark work, offering neither consolidation nor resolution, but instead manifesting the problem directly. Yet, in so doing, Hellstenius makes clear that, for all the doubts and despair that might plague or even thwart our efforts, the ultimate prize – connection, community – makes the attempt not merely worthwhile but utterly necessary.
Simon Cummings 2023
Public Behaviour is Hellstenius´ second percussion concerto written for Hans-Kristian Kjos Sørensen. This concerto grosso, where also the sextett Nordic Voices appear as co-soloists, enables the percussion soloist to make use of his whole musical vocabulary of using a fine-tuned percussion set-up combined with voice, whistling and the harmonica making a character as a protagonist raising the blank questions Do I / Can I / Will I / Need I.