«Composer, pianist and writer Bjornstad doesn’t fit any category and neither does the music on this album. Music he wrote for this cooperation with young classical violinist Guro Kleven Hagen and music that is melodic, touching and beautiful. Uplifting I might add as well. These compositions have a classical background and a jazzy feel and gorgeous little melodies that make the listener smile. The performances by both musicians are outstanding, telling the stories of the pictures in this gallery with emotion and passion. Explains Bjornstad: “We talked a great deal about our lives while we were rehearsing the suite. Guro asked about the background for the titles, and the order in which they were written, while at the same time telling stories from her own life. We became storytellers for each other. There was much that was recognisable for both of us. The musical idols of my youth were also hers, and vice versa. We had many of the same reference points. I felt that the titles we decided on during the process were as much hers as mine. There is 42 years age gap between Guro and me. I could have been her grandfather. But it is I who am the student.”
I Can’t stop listening to this very unique album!»
https://wulfmuller.wordpress.com/author/wulfmuller/
– Musikk dreier seg i stor grad om møter. Dette møtet mellom veteranen Ketil Bjørnstad og den fremragende unge fiolinisten Guro Kleven Hagen er blant dem som aldri vil bli glemt. Aldri.
«Bjørnstad har skrevet en suite på 18 melodier for Kleven Hagen. Tonen og uttrykket hennes kler alt – jeg mener alt – like godt. Jan Garbarek sa en gang om ny musikk han skulle presentere at den låt akkurat likedan som før, men helt forskjellig. Slik er det med Bjørnstads musikk også. Det tar et hundredel av et sekund å fatte at det er han som har skrevet dette – det låter så bjørnstadsk som vel tenkelig, men samtidig helt forskjellig. Det har med nyanserikdommen å gjøre og den unike kloa han er i besittelse av som ingen andre er i nærheten av.»
