This album presents a rich survey of Nordic solo flute music from the 20th century, performed by the remarkable flutist Gunilla von Bahr, known for her command of all four flute types—from piccolo to bass flute.
The program opens with Ingvar Lidholm’s introspective and structurally refined Sonata per flauto solo (1946), which avoids virtuosity in favor of sculpted melodic form. Arne Mellnäs’s Fragments for Family Flute (1978), written for Gunilla and Robert von Bahr, explores spontaneous interplay between two performers on ten flutes. Åke Hermanson’s two works—Suoni d’un flauto for alto flute and Flauto d’inverno for bass flute—evoke wintery tension and restrained power through concentrated pitch intervals and dynamic contrasts.
Several pieces were dedicated to von Bahr, including Erland von Koch’s Monologue No. 1 and Cantilena for bass flute, which highlight expressive and technical range. Øistein Sommerfeldt’s Divertimento and Spring Tunes draw inspiration from Norwegian nature and painting, offering lyrical and atmospheric miniatures.
Other featured composers include Sverre Bergh, Leif Thybo, Erkki Salmenhaara, Leonid Bashmakov, and Tauno Marttinen, whose works explore both tonal clarity and experimental textures for solo flute or flute ensemble. Many make use of the extended flute family, with contrasting characters and timbres across movements.
This recording stands as a tribute to Gunilla von Bahr’s pioneering artistry and a celebration of the diversity and imagination in Nordic flute repertoire.
