Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen

Body And Soul For Five Instruments

Programme Note
Posed some questions I can say:
Each of us have our own reasons for finding a work successful - and each work has its own reasons for being successful, very different reasons and reasons of a different kind.
Speaking for myself I have opposing and often conflicting views and wishes. Automatically (!) I am attracted by music of a strict and severe nature, but also by the unforseen, the provocative and the devil-may-dare. And a burst of laughter to and fro shall be welcomed - as a relief.
Since the 1960's I have tried to condense the musical material as much as possible, to make it as simple as possible. Complexity arises when the simple 'things' meet. 'Things' indicate that the motives of the music often can be experienced as objects.
As the late Poul Nielsen put it, speaking of my piece, REPRISER from 1965: 'there is sound as sound - and sound as expression'. and there is 'a voice that speaks and a voice that is silent' The present new piece of mine, Body and Soul, is thus entitled because the brief first
movement has a direct physical approach, while the second movement has a more intimate spiritual and softer touch.
Don Juan, the Master of The Senses, can be supposed to have embodied both sides in his nature. And what is Don Juan doing here? - the second movement gives the answer - by and by.
Pelle Gudmundsen- Holmgreen