Kristian Blak

Summary

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Kristian Blak (born 1947) is a Danish composer, musician, and record executive based in the Faroe Islands.

Kristian Blak

Early life edit

Kristian Blak was born in Jutland, Denmark, in 1947.[1]

He moved to the Faroe Islands in 1974, where he has written most of his musical works.[1]

Career edit

Blak is the founder of the Nordic musical ensemble Yggdrasil (named after the world tree known as Yggdrasil). He has worked with sounds from Faroese nature in several compositions. These include concerts in caves and other natural "concert halls" in the Faroe Islands.[2] He has composed solo instrumental works, chamber music, choral works and symphonic music,[3] for example the ballad Harra Pætur og Elinborg.[4]

In 2010 Queen Margrethe of Denmark visited the Faroe Islands, and one of the events she visited was a grotto concert in Klæmintsgjógv (Gorge of Klæmint) by Blak and other musicians. The cave is 50 m (160 ft) high, and the sea in the cave is around 400 m (1,300 ft) deep. There are some places inside the cave where the musicians can stand with their instruments and give a concert to the audience in boats.[5]

Blak is the chief executive officer of Tutl, which is the leading record label in the Faroe Islands.[6]

Recognition and awards edit

Musical works edit

  • 2001 PINIARTUT with Tellu Virkkala, Rasmus Lyberth and Ville Kangas
  • 1999 24 PRÉLUDES
  • 1998 KLÆMINT
  • 1997 SHALDER GEO
  • 1991 RAVNATING
  • 1990 FIRRA
  • 1989 ADDEQ
  • 1988 ANTIFONALE
  • 1987 FJAND with Svend Bjerg
  • 1984 KINGOLØG
  • 1983 SJÓMANSRÍMUR
  • 1979 SNJÓUGLAN

Albums edit

Solo albums edit

  • 2005 Úr Holminum, 8 tracks, Tutl
  • 2005 Snjóuglan, 10 Tracks, Tutl
  • 1999 Klæmint Tutl
  • 1992 Harra Pætur og Elinborg[9]
  • 1991 Ravnating, 8 tracks, Tutl[10]

Yggdrasil edit

  • 2004 LIVE AT RUDOLSTADT
  • 2002 YGGDRASIL
  • 1984/1995/2000 CONCERTO GROTTO & DRANGAR[11]
  • 1988 BRØYTINGAR Koncept: Ole Wich
  • 1983/85 THE FOUR TOWERS & HEYGAR OG DREYGAR
  • 1982 RAVNATING
  • 1981 DEN YDERSTE Ø

Spælimenninir edit

  • 2003 Malargrót
  • 1996 Flóð Og Fjøra
  • 1986 Hinvegin
  • 1984 Rekaviður
  • 1980 Burturav

Spælimenninir í Hoydølum edit

Spælimenninir í Hoydølum is the name of a former musical ensemble, they took name after a place name in Tórshavn called Hoydalar, the High School is located there.

  • 1984 Á ferð
  • 1987 Umaftur
  • 1977 Spælimenninir í Hoydølum

Music for children edit

  • 2003 Sóljudansir
  • 1997 Øll hava veingir
  • 1985 Syng bara við
  • 1983 Nósi
  • 1977 Nu ska' vi u å sejle við Kræklingum og øðrum.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "About". Kristian Blak. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  2. ^ Visitfaroeislands.com The Faroese Tourist Board
  3. ^ Composers.fo Archived 11 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine A Faroese website with information about Faroese composers
  4. ^ Harra Pætur og Elinborg on iTunes
  5. ^ Captain.nordlysid.com Archived 23 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine About the grotto concerts (in English)
  6. ^ Tutl.com
  7. ^ BBS.fo[permanent dead link] Virðisløn M.A. Jacobsens fyri mentanaravrik 2002 (in Faroese)
  8. ^ Kringvarp.fo The National Faroese Radio and Television (in Faroese)
  9. ^ AllMusic Harra Pætur og Elinborg
  10. ^ AllMusic
  11. ^ AllMusic Concerto Grotto og Drangar

Further reading edit

  • Kirsten Brix, Erhard Jacobsen, Ole Wich (ed.): Très bien. Kristian Blak 60 år. Tórshavn: Plátufelagið Tutl, 2007 (126 s., incl. CD) ISBN 978-99918-3-223-4

External links edit

  • Official website