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Introduction to music

Christian Holmqvist is a musical pluralist. As a trained musicologist he knows his music history, and refers to different traits in different epochs in both obvious and more subtle ways. He choose his tools in consideration of what he wants to express in the work at hand.

Holmqvist's music combines a romantic emotionalism with classical structures and neoclassical pulsations. One may also find elements borrowed from the modern tradition. Recurring features are a juxtaposition of melodic lyricism and dramatic outbursts. 

Holmqvist acknowledge especially Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms, Mahler, Debussy, Scriabin, Shostakovich, Einar Englund and Einojuhani Rautavaara as important to his development as a composer. In some works may be heard influences of popular music and jazz. As a trained musicologist he knows his music history, and refers to different traits in different epochs in both obvious and more subtle ways. 

Holmqvist is mainly known for his many vocal works (song cycles and choral works) and has been called "The Finnish Hugo Wolf". But he has also written 6 string quartets, a violin sonata and other chamber music, as also music for solo piano including 2 sonatinas and the piece The September Lyre. Of orchestral works may be mentioned the Divertimento for wind band and the Petite Suite Baroque for strings. 

LISTEN to some of Holmqvist's works

 

DIvertimento for symphonic wind band. Performed by Akateeminen puhallinorkesteri & Kalervo Kulmala. Recording of the first performance in Seinäjoki in 1999.

 

På nattgammal is (On Brittle Ice), the first song from the song cycle Fem dikter av Jarl Hemmer (Five Poems of Jarl Hemmer), performed by Marika Kivinen & Patrik Komorowski. Studio recording from 2017.

NEWS IN BRIEF...

 

A CD with a selection of Holmqvist's songs will be released in 2024. Details to be announced. 

In October 2023, Snö och månljus ("Snow and moonlight") for male choir won the third prize in The Runebergskören BSB's Choral Composition Competition.

A concert including the duo work Götterdämmerung at the Tampere Biennale 2022 available on the net for a limited time. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTjFDKcfVK0

Updated 11/2023

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