From The Rainbow by Arni Egilsson/The Arnaeus Ensemble

The music ranges from somber to raging in expression, and in some ways, recalls works of this century's turning point, such as Transfigured Night by Schoenberg. It is virtuosic and features cadenzas and solo writing for several members of the sextet, including the double bass. It is scored for three violins, viola, cello, and bass. Egilsson plays his role in this musical drama with passion and convictions, as do the other members, which include Endre Granat, first violin, Rachel Purkin, second violin, Richard Altenbach, third violin, Roland Kato, viola, and David Speitz, cello. The stirring narration is by Anya Karlin and Alexander Ossi Osvaldsson. Dorette and Arni Egilsson dedicate this work "to the memory of those children that have fallen victim to violence." A Tale of Yore is a decidedly lighter offering. It is a quasi-Baroque romp for string quartet, bass and piano. Janet Lakatos assumes the viola duties and Douglas Davis plays cello with Chet Swiatkowski who performs the piano part. Sextet Pacifica was commissioned by Pacific Serenades. It is a fifteen-minute, single movement work for pairs of violins, violas and cellos. Isabella Lippi plays the first violin part which features extensive solo material. Roger Wilkie is the second violin. Kato and Connie Kupa are the violists, and Speltz and Paul Cohen are the cellists. Egilsson writes, "Like the region we live in and love, the work is on the positive and bright side without being lighthearted." The CD concludes with an introspective work, Impressions for string quartet and bass. Egilsson wrote this work while pondering his own life, and those questions relating to life's journey. It contains musical parallels to Egilsson's own journey. While it traverses the ups and downs, the brooding, as well as the exultant, it remains optimistic: "The dreams and anxieties, the need to break away from the status quo...only to return to reality with a joke and a whimper."Review by Tom Knific

"The works are very beautiful and dramatic, compositionally clear and well constructed, the workmanship is first rate and the playing simply could not be better. I urge others to give this beautiful music a listen!" (Morgunbladid, Iceland)

"Features some imaginative, virtuosic playing by the Arnaeus Ensemble, in which first violinist, Endré Granat is outstanding......flexible of personel, the Arnaeus Ensemble aquits itself here splendidly in all its various combinations. The numerous mood changes og Egilsson´s one-movement "Sextet Pacifica" are admirably characterized by a wide range of expression and timbres; and its spirited account of his attractive, accessable "A Tale of Yore" seems just right for this carefree 'fun piece' in a popularised Baroque idiom, intended to describe pleasant memories of yesteryear"(Double Bassist)

THE ARNAEUS ENSEMBLE under Arni Egilsson, originally from Iceland, that vast musical wonderland, have created their latest musical masterpiece, From The Rainbow. It is a Contemporary Classical masterpiece if any of you understand such things. You don’t need to understand it to appreciate it, however. This is wonderful peace inducing modern lightness unto the Divine, as all music is and should be.

Radio Mike

http://the feveredbrainofradiomike.com

Contemporary classical music at its best; this is often a genre that is grossly overlooked and albums such as this, should resurrect this genre.

Tony Bates 2006

From the Rainbow

Our society has become more violent. Newspapers and television are filled with horror stories and graphic pictures of violent death and torture in terrifying detail, but some of the most heart wrenching reports in the media are about the violent crimes committed against children, the innocent victims. From the Rainbow is dedicated to the memory of those children that have fallen victim to violence.

Poem Dorette Egilsson, Music Árni Egilsson.

In November 2004 From the Rainbow was performed in a ballet version at the National Theater of Iceland.

The Arnaeus Ensemble:

First Violin ENDRÉ GRANAT First Violin

Brought to the USA by Georg Szell. Made his Carnegie Hall debut with the Beethoven Violin concerto. Laureate of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, recipient of the Ysaye Medal and winner of the Grand Prix Du Disque. Appeared extensively as concert artist in Europe, Asia, Australia South America and the USA.

RACHEL PURKIN violin

is currently Assistant Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra

ISABELL LIPPI violin

Made her debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the age of 10.

She has played recitals at the Kennedy Center, Chicago Ravinia Festival and appeared with as guest soloist with the St. Louis Symphony and orchestras in the USA, Mexico and the Far East.

RICHARD ALTENBACH violin

Currently first violinist with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and a member of the Hollywood Bowl and the Los Angeles Opera orchestras.

Appeared as soloist with the Nebraska Symphony, Texas Chamber Orchestra and the Los Angeles Opera Company.

ROGER WILKIE violin

Held the post as Concertmaster with the Los Angeles Opera, the Long Beach Symphony, the Round Top Festival Orchestra, Texas. A founding member of the Los Angeles String Quartet and principal violinis of the Camerata Pacifica

JANET LAKATOS viola

Former principal violist of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Stuttgart Bach-Collegium. She is presently Associate Principal of the Pacific Symphony, Opera Pacific and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.

ROLAND CATO viola

Internationally acclaimed viola recitalist and soloist. Presently Principal violist of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Has appeared as soloist/recitalist in a number of music in festivals throughout the USA as well as Puerto Rico.

CONNIE KUPKA viola

Studied chamber music performance at Yale with the Guarneri Quartet and worked with the violin pedagues Broadus Earle. She is a founding member of the Arriaga Quartet first prize winner in the Coleman Chamber Music Competition in Pasadena.

DOUGLAS DAVIS cello

Prize winner in the Second International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow and a recipient of the First Piatigorsky Award presented by the Violincello Society of New York. He is the Principal Cellist of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra. Mr Davis is the past principal Cellist of the Aspen Festival Orchestra and the Bach-Collegium, Stuttgart, Germany.

DAVID SPELTZ cello

A founding member of the prize winning Arriaga Quartet and as a member of the ensemble Musical Offering performed at the Library of Congress, Lincoln Center and throughout the USA and Canada.

PAUL COHEN cello

Has given acclaimed performances of the complete cycle of Beethoven cello sonatas and Bach cello suites in numerous single concert formats.

CHET SWIATKOWSKI piano

A graduate of Yale and Hart College of Music, has performed throughout the USA, Europe and Korea in solo and chamber music concerts. Currently on the faculty at Mount St. Mary's College, Mr. Swiatkowski has performed with the New Music Group of the L.A. Philharmonic Orch., The Monday Evening Concerts, the Ojai Festival .

ANYA KARLIN narrator

Has studied music since the age of four

ALEXANDER OSI OSVALDSSON narrator

Has a passion for ice-hockey, reading and drawing.

Árni Egilsson has earned an international reputation as a Double Bass soloist, having performed in his native Iceland, and throughout Europe and the United States. He was brought to the United States by the late Sir John Barbirolli to play with the Houston Symphony Orchestra. While there, he established an enduring relationship with André Previn. A versatile instrumentalist, equally comfortable in jazz and classical venues, he has recorded a classical solo album with Vladimir Askenazy and a jazz album with Ray Brown. Egilsson is highly regarded as a leading session player in the orchestras of the Los Angeles recording studios serving as Principal Bassplayers for most of Hollywood's top composers. He has been a Professor of Double Bass at California State University, Northridge. In recent years he has become well known as a composer of works for Double Bass, Chamber Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra as well as Solo Voice and Choral works.

Average Customer Review: