CHRISTIANHOLMQVIST

As a composer Christian Holmqvist prefers controlled emotions to yelling Weltschmerz, translucent classicism to complacent 

modernism, long melodic lines to fractured textures, and harmonic beauty to hideous discords. 

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​Holmqvist acknowledge especially Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Debussy, Scriabin, Shostakovich, Einar Englund and Einojuhani Rautavaara as important to his development as a composer. He is also an avid fan of such artists as Nick Cave and Björk and bands like Nightwish. In his youth he played jazz, and the genre certainly  influenced Holmqvist's approach to rhythm and harmony. 

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In a time when it is assumed that a composer's only task is to generate discussion about complex issues and spell out in exhausting detail what the music is about, and how it should be listened to, Holmqvist remains a believer in a different stance. Although he does not deny that the so called reality influences his art, he invites you to yourself find out how. 

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