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Born in 1954 in Stockholm. He derived
his initial musical experience from various forms of improvised music as
well as from being a choral singer. In 1976-1982 he studied counterpoint,
composition and electronic music at the State College of Music in
Stockholm (with Gunnar Bucht, Lars-Erik Rosell, Arne Mellnäs and Pär
Lindgren). Brian Ferneyhough1s guest lectures provided an important source
of inspiration for him.
Since 1982 Anders Hillborg has been a free-lance composer, only
occasionally taking up teaching and giving master classes. In 1990 he
worked as a professor of composition at the Music Academy in Malmö. In
addition to the typical Oart music1, his interests focus on film and rock
music. His honours include the Christ Johnson Music Award (1991), the 1995
Composer of the Year title and a Grammy phonographic award for Jag vill se
min älskade komma fran det vilda (OI want to see my love coming out of
the dark1, recorded in partnership with Eva Dahlgren). His Celestial
Mechanics for strings and percussion and the Violin Concerto were selected
and recommended compositions at unesco1s International Composers1 Rostrum
(1992, 1995). In 2002 Dreaming River placed first at the same competition.
Selected works: Worlds for six
percussions, two harps, two amplified pianos, electric guitar and strings
(1979), Rite of Passage, electronic music (1980), Lamento for solo
clarinet and 14 solo strings (1981), Hyacintrummet for harp (1982), Living
Room, electronic music (1983), Two motets for mixed choir (1984),
muoaiyouum... for mixed choir (198385), Celestial Mechanics for 17 solo
string instruments and percussion (198385), Broken Necklace, theme music
for the film Friends, for vocalists and pop group (1987), Clang & Fury
for orchestra (198589), Hautposaune for solo trombone and tape (1990), Närbilder
(Close Ups) for solo flute (1991), u-tangia-for for alto trombone and
organ or tape (1991), Tampere Raw for clarinet and piano (1991), Violin
Concerto (199192), Close Up for solo instrument (1992), Concerto for
Trombone and Orchestra OStrange Dances and Singing Water1 (1993), När en
vild röd ros slar ut... for leading vocal, background vocals and
orchestra (1995), Kväll for voice and violin or trombone (1995), En Gul Böjd
Baforn for voice and wind ensemble (1995), Du som älskar for voice and
orchestra (1995), Stenmannen for voice, background vocals and orchestra
(1995), Psaltarpsalm for mixed choir, brass quintet and organ (1993),
Liquid Marble for orchestra (1995), Nursery Rhymes I, II for clarinet and
percussion (1996), Pafagelsögonblick (The Peacock Moment) for clarinet
and piano (1997), Wind Quintet for two trumpets, horn, trombone and tuba
(1998), Clarinet Concerto OPeacock Tales1 (1998), Clarinet Concerto,
millennium version (199899), Prelude for clarinet (1998), Aldrande
Elastiska Sjöfaglar for flute, oboe, clarinets, bassoon, horn (horns) and
percussion (1998), Fugue for piano (1999), Dreaming River for large
orchestra, with two Chinese oboes suonas (1999), King Tide for orchestra
(1999), Velocity Engine for piano (2000), Rap Notes for rapers, orchestra
and tape (2000), En Midsommarforttsdröm (A Midsum-mer Night1s Dream) for
mixed choir (2001), Piano Concerto (2001), Corrente di Primavera for piano
(2002), Tryffelhymn for flute, violin, cello and piano (2002), Mirages for
orchestra (2002), Exquisite Corpse for orchestra (2002).
Dreaming River
Allthough Hillborg1s first attempt at an orchestral piece dates back to
1979, most of his works scored for large orchestra (with or without solo
instruments or voice) were composed after 1995. Dreaming River was
completed in 1999 and premiered in the same year by the Stockholm
Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Esa-Pekka Salo-nen. The work has an
untypical instrumental line-up. It is scored for symphony orchestra,
including piano and harp, as well as a large body of percussion with
bells, vibraphones, four congas and deep drums. Hillborg1s focus on the
timbral aspect is highlighted by the use of two Chinese oboes. Somewhat
nasal, albeit penetrating sound of these instruments (played non-vibrato)
is responsible for an archaic atmosphere permeating the whole piece. The
limited sound range of the oboes, confined within a ninth G 1 A 2,
forms a modal scale whose structure corresponds to the mixolydian mode.
Chinese oboes usually form a duo and play unisono. They are not, however,
concertato instruments of any kind in as much as they do not compete with
one another or enter into a dialogue with the orchestra but are treated as
specific sound objects. Nonetheless, the orchestra may sometimes react to
the impulses from the oboes or even process and absorb them.
The work is characterised by gestural expressiveness, which opens
a rich spectrum of non-musical associations, as in the extended Adagio,
with its 16-part polyphony. OSometimes, although not very often, there are
hidden, real events behind my music1, Hillborg says. OThe Adagio is a good
example. It captures well a fantastic adventure with nature which I
experienced with Par Lindgren in Maldives. We swam downstream to an outer
side of a coral reef, to a place where different streams converge and
create a whirlpool. We were caught into it and our bodies started moving
around inside it, together with thousands of fishes1 (quoted after Goran
Berendahl, 33 nya svenska komponister, Stockholm 2001).
The two Chinese oboes contribute
significantly to the work1s gestural affluence. From their limited sound
material the composer derived three diversified musical gestures, which
leave their mark on the orchestral part as well. These are an
archaic-sounding fanfare in
a forte fortissimo at the beginning, followed by a fast semiquaver-based
figure which the oboes play alternately and which is then continued by the
orchestra as oscillating semiquaver layers, and finally, by a melody in
long notes. The melody appears for the first time after about one third of
the piece, at the end of a longer passage dominated by the percussion. The
two oboes alternate their parts, doubled by the strings and trumpets in
forte fortissimo. The sound, full of brightness and light, gives way to
the powerful quasi organ-like chord of brass instruments. Then, the oboes
disappear for quite a long time, to return at the end of the piece,
following a long Adagio of the strings. With them returns the melody:
initially played in unison with the strings, sharply and violently, later
on in an augmented rhythm, melted into a torrential tutti and supported by
trombones. The music reaches here the point of climax and implodes
suddenly with the note a 1 (on which the piece began), after which the
musical material is spatally and harmonically developed, eventually
finding a repose in chromatic fullness extending over more than six
octaves.
Despite the enormous musical devices employed by the composer, the texture
of the work is lucid and its formal design easy to follow. This is music
that owes its charm and accessibility not so much to its sophisticated
construction but rather to the manner in which different types of material
and textures are bound together. In this way, fresh streams of energy and
moments of inner tension are brought to life. They allow separate formal
sections to proceed together to the wholeness. This is precisely
symphonic thinking, hidden behind a spontaneous will of creation.
Max Nyffeler
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