Thorvaldsdottir, Anna – “Rhizoma” – [Innova/American Composers]

humana   11/4/2011   A Library, CD

Rhizoma refers to Chinese herbal medicines for strengthening bones, and I suppose in a way, listening to Icelandic composer Thorvaldsdottir’s songs while shivering at their spareness could be edifying. It’s like a soundtrack to a cold, surreal movie. So much can be imagined in the spaces between the layers of sound, particularly on 4. Check out the plucked piano on 4. When instruments are used so sparingly, they are all the more worth paying attention to. The Caput Ensemble and the Iceland Symphony Orchestra perform these works to chilling perfection.