Paper Trio - Light in The Dark: Music Of Carl Nielsen [Time Span Records]

Released via Time Span Records on August 14th, 2k26 is "Light In The Dark", a twelve pieces spanning contemplation on and interpretation of compositions by the revered Danish composer Carl Nielsen, performed and led by the Paper Trio comprised of Randi Pontoppidan, Thomas Agergaard and Greg Cohen with further contributions and participations by the Akela String Quartet as well as Arnur Tuznik on piano and organ and bass-baritone vocalist Jakob Bloch Jespersen. Over the course of 53 minutes we see Paper Trio and their collaborators transfer Nielsen's original work into a timeless and free-floating, yet vaguely Jazz-infused context starting out with the tender and beautiful "Nu Er Dagen Fuld Af Sang" which could well be a variation of a centuries old traditional rural Folk piece vibewise with solemn, yet ethereal vocals hovering timelessly whereas "Dreams Of Dreams", as intimate as the piece itself seems to be, takes full advantage of full on panoramic string arrangements and occasional left of center (dis)harmonic movements and "Saenk Kun Dit Hoved, Du Blomst" sees its story told by a powerful and expressive Classical male voice and dreamy female non-vocalisms backed by a tender piano foundation. The subsequent "Andantino", albeit instrumental, takes us back to an unscathed, probably medieval rural Denmark and its folk tales with a playful flute as the leading instrument, "Gramaphone" comes at us as rather light-hearted and frolicking piano piece and a bit of a vintage fun fair feel at times contrasted by the airy and time defying "Motet" which follows, probably providing the most significant gravitas and large scale panoramic arrangement on this album whilst the closing cut that is "Solen Er Rød Mor" rounds things off on a traditional Folk-infused note once again just to name a few. Indeed, an interesting contemporary gateway to those not familiar with the "Music Of Carl Nielsen".

Album artwork on Instagram!