Bach Composing, Ulf Improvising
Saturday 22 March, 16:00
(Doors open at 15:15)
Nordstrand Church
Adult: 300 NOK
Senior/student: 240 NOK
Children: 100 NOK
Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Ulf Nilsen, organ and piano
In well-known Ulf Nilsen style, Bach Composing, Ulf Improvising is an ambitious and innovative project that combines deep musical interpretations with a playful exploration of genres and eras. Here, Bach’s timeless compositions meet elements from German and French Romanticism, as well as Russian, Brazilian, and Norwegian 20th century music, with additions of hymn quotations. The works are alternately performed on organ and piano.
Nilsen himself describes the project with great enthusiasm: ‘Bach is just old enough – 300 years of music history has kind of settled on top of him – something that gives an improviser many genres and stylistic eras to play with. Bach is versatile; his music is always built on clear rhythmic and melodic motifs. This is absolutely true for the works I have chosen, in addition to another equally important criterion: the motifs have to trigger my fantasy; I have to be able to imagine them in completely new constellations and contexts.’
The unique union of composed and improvised music creates a fascinating dialogue between past and present, which both challenges and inspires.
Ulf Nilsen has a solid musical education from the Norwegian Academy of Music and Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he studied organ, piano, and harpsichord. He is recognised as an extremely versatile performer and improviser, covering a wide range of genres. As an improviser, Nilsen describes himself as an absolute autodidact. As a Bach interpreter, he highlights three central musical mentors that has had great influence on his development: his very first organ teacher at the school for the blind in Oslo, Kari Andersen; his harpsichord teacher at the Norwegian Academy of Music, professor emeritus Ketil Haugsand; and his piano teacher, professor emeritus Einar Steen-Nøkleberg. Ulf Nilsen holds the position as organist in Nordstrand church, and often performs concerts both as an organist and pianist.
