Two New Albums from Jonathan Östlund

Jonathan Ostlund © Evelyne Bologa CImoca

Following the release of three previous albums by Swedish composer Jonathan Östlund – Lunaris, DDA 21226 (2016); Voyages, DDA 21232 (2019); and Mistral, DDA 25199 (2020), Divine Art’s CEO Stephen Sutton has announced another two new double albums of music. The first, Imago, appeared in a semi-private release in 2020 (available only via the website of ‘Miss Flute’) arranged by flutist Myriam Hidber Dickinson; the album is now being given full worldwide distribution in CD and digital formats and is scheduled for release in February 2022.

A new double album, to be titled Elysian, is in progress – mostly recorded, with some sessions still to be arranged, having been delayed due to the pandemic, and is likely to hit the streets in the summer (full details will be announced in due course).

Jonathan Östlund (b.1975) writes for a wonderfully diverse range of instruments and voices, and each of his albums contains a panoply of varied works, performed by hand-picked musicians – hence the very long artist credits for his recordings. His major influence is nature – landscapes and locations, birds and animals, and a keen sense of atmosphere in his mainly Impressionist works – leading to such praise as in the quote above. However he is also fascinated by the re-setting of older works by the master composers – sometimes with melodies quoted sympathetically in his music or as on his latest album, more overt transcriptions and paraphrases.

Both these new albums are full of the warm, melodic yet totally individual pieces that in ‘Lunaris’, attracted exceptional reviews internationally, including:

“A fascinating canvas, full of color. Östlund clearly has much to say, and he says it in a consistently interesting manner. Fully worthy of investigation“ – Colin Clarke (Fanfare)
“Markedly original. [I] feel enriched by stepping into his world of fancy free.” – Huntley Dent (Fanfare)
“This lyrical new music has an individual sound and is in turn picturesque and witty. Timeless and sophisticated music.” – John Pitt (New Classics)
“Östlund seems to have no end to his reservoir of inspiration.” – Remy Franck (Pizzicato)

IMAGO (DDA 21239)

Works

Imago Theme / L’eau de l’oubli / Paraphrase on Bach’s ‘Siciliano’ / Fantasia on Bach’s ‘Toccata in D minor’
Les Oiseaux et François / Arrangement of Reger’s ‘Mariä Wiegenlied’ / La Neige de Noël
Paraphrase on Bach’s ‘Komm süßer Tod, komm selge Ruh’ / La nuite étoilée
Mondspiegel: Paraphrase on Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, mvt. 1 / Turquoise Spring
Rêve et Lune Duet / Night of June / Lumières de jardin / Will-o’-the-Wisp
Midnight Hour / Zephyr / Titania / Swedish Folk-dance
Dance on Glowing Strings (Swedish Rhapsody) / La Sirena / Castel Caracal
A True Love of Mine (Fantasia on Scarborough Fair)
Bouquet – Suite for two clarinets (7 movements)
Traumgewalt / The Jester / La Flûte Rêveuse / Imago Theme 2