Denmark may be best known for its warring Vikings and the
melancholy Hamlet, but tomorrow evening the Danish choir Ars Nova
will show that their country has a kinder, gentler side as well.
The 12-voice ensemble will perform their selection of old and new
Scandinavian pieces at Westwood United Methodist Church near
UCLA’s campus.
Since forming in 1979, Ars Nova has performed over a thousand
times across the globe and has gained a reputation as a pioneer in
both early and contemporary music.
A champion of Renaissance vocal music, Ars Nova has been lauded
for its performances of intricate masterpieces by 15th and
16th-century composers as well as its revival of neglected masters
from that period. The group also focuses on more contemporary
avant-garde pieces, performing works from the leading classical and
jazz composers of Scandinavia, many of whom have dedicated new
works to the group.
Saturday’s program, “Nordic Voices” will show
off both of these different styles as Ars Nova shifts from
contemporary pieces by Scandinavian composers Per Norgard and
Sven-David Sandstrom, to earlier motets by Renaissance composers
William Byrd and Jacob Obrecht.
“Renaissance and avant-garde music have sympathies with
each other. By juxtaposing the two you can really see how the
contemporary composers have been influenced by the Renaissance
composers. They work well together,” said Paul Hillier, the
group’s guest conductor for Saturday’s show.
One piece Ars Nova will be performing particularly captures the
relation between the two styles. Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen’s
“Statements” is a contemporary work that actually
incorporates street cries like those heard in Renaissance-era
markets and street corners into the melodic piece.
“Statements” was written specifically for Ars Nova and
the group recently premiered it in Copenhagen.
Hillier has acted as the group’s principal guest conductor
since 1997. Besides his work with Ars Nova, Hillier is also the
founder and artistic director of the vocal ensemble Theatre of
Voices, who recently performed and recorded with UCLA’s
Artist-in-Residence, the Kronos Quartet.
Besides these activities, Hillier was also Professor of Music at
UC Davis from 1990 to 1996 and will return there next spring as
UCD’s Artist-in-Residence.
Hillier acted as guest conductor the last (and first) time Ars
Nova appeared in the United States, performing in “˜The Danish
Wave ’99,’ a cultural festival presented by the Royal
Danish Consulate General in New York.
Though they have been performing for over two and a half
decades, the 1999 performance is the only time Ars Nova has
performed in the United States. This marks their first extended
tour of America and Saturday’s performance will be one of
only two performances of the “Nordic Voices”
program.
In other cities Ars Nova will be performing their program,
“Cries and Birds” which includes the
Gudmundsen-Holmgreen piece, as well as works by John Cage and
Luciano Berio.
“The “˜Nordic Voices’ program is much more
focused on Scandinavian music and its influences. With “˜Cries
and Birds’ there is more with the street cries and
avant-garde pieces,” said Hillier.
Tomorrow evening’s show will be a rare chance for music
fans to get a taste of Scandinavia’s rich musical
tradition.
Ars Nova performs at the United Methodist Church (located at
10497 Wilshire Blvd., the northeast corner of Wilshire Boulevard
and Warner Avenue) tomorrow at 4 p.m. Call the Central Ticket
Office at 825-2101 for information.