Chamber Award Martin Fröst
Night Passages
Works by Bach, Corea, D Scarlatti et al Martin Fröst (clarinet), Sébastien Dubé (double bass), Roland Pöntinen (piano) Sony Classical 19439917402
Night Passages sees Martin Fröst present an eclectic programme in an electrifying display of virtuosity and versatility. For the Swedish clarinettist, the idea came after a particularly difficult period. ‘I have an inner-ear condition called Ménière’s disease that comes and goes,’ he explains, ‘and I had a very dramatic episode during the pandemic, so was totally out of action for six months. Of course, it was not a pleasant thing, but I didn’t have any concerts so it was pretty good timing. When I woke from that we planned this album.’
Curated by Fröst himself, the selection is a real fusion of musical styles, a snapshot of his memories (real and possibly imagined), as he explains: ‘I was going back through the memory of my own life, things that were from a very early age, and one memory which I don’t really know is true or not – I do know my mother was singing some of those tunes before I was born. All these memories were related to music, like when I borrowed Benny Goodman’s clarinet in Carnegie Hall at an exhibition there and played on it. I actually enjoy that kind of memory, because music is like a trigger for the senses.’
Fröst wasn’t alone in his endeavour, inviting the double bassist of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra (of which Fröst is principal conductor) Sébastien Dubé and pianist partner of some 30 years Roland Pöntinen to make the journey with him. Their own stories, passions and arrangements inspired him.
‘Sébastien is phenomenal; he’s not only a great player, he’s into folk music and jazz. So it was like an education for me to do folk music with him, and the Miles Davis tunes and so on. Because he was in my orchestra we could jam after a rehearsal and try out things. So whatever arrangement we did, the two of them, especially Sébastien, were adding something very personal. It was a fresh way of looking at the repertoire that I chose. It was really nice.’