Henning Sommerro: BORDERS – Trondheim Symphony Orchestra | SACD

He walks slowly over the smooth swathes of rock.
Between sky, earth and water the artist finds a path.
He stops a moment, and squints a little.

Using a deep time perspective composer Henning Sommerro chooses themes from myths and from European history. Three works for soloist and orchestra and three visions encounter resistance before they struggle forward to possible redemption and resolution. The first work is Solstice. The skald Sigvat Tordsson is on his way to the eternal city. It is just before the summer solstice, and the skald has time to reflect about important issues in his life and times – and to think about who to include in his visions. We are enticed further to Ostara, and the mysterious spring goddess of the same name. A lot is at stake as the vernal equinox approaches. A matter of one step forward and two back. Under the ground bilateral lines of communication are busy signalling spring … or are they? The sense of seriousness is heightened, and the last work gives the album’s title extra gravity. In Borders we move to our own time. The year is 2016, and our world picture is shaken by a stream of refugees the like of which Europe has not seen since the Second World War. Accusations across countries’ borders proliferate. It is the others who are responsible for taking in refugees, and hopes for a united response are collapsing. Who dares acknowledge and respond to the alarming roar of the work’s opening?

Without thinking, he draws a line with one foot.
He crouches, then jumps from one side of the line to the other.
Outside. Inside.
He repeats this a few times, then stops abruptly and stares at the horizon.
Forever he seems to stand like this.