Gunnar Idenstam live from Stockholm Concert HallAnd his Story

A unique opportunity to watch the virtuosic concert organist Gunnar Idenstam in action! The film is mainly a live recording from a concert in Stockholm Concert Hall on October 4, 2014 celebrating the prize of 'Interpreter of the Year' given to Idenstam by the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm in 2012. The music is a Toccata by Max Reger, excerpts from Idenstam´s transcriptions of La mer by Claude Debussy, La valse, and the famous Bolero by Maurice Ravel. (You will also learn some of the secrets behind) The film also reveals some of the secrets of Idenstam´s technique.

Gunnar Idenstam, concert organist, composer and folk musician, is known throughout the world for his virtuoso playing, stunning improvisations and his unconventional and original approach to organ music. Gunnar Idenstam aims to expand his audience's appreciation of the organ and to transcend the limitations of genre. He comes from a background of classical music, but has always had a "distant love relationship" with the folk and symphonic rock of the 1970s. Today he has brought these influences into the context of organ music where he builds bridges between French cathedral tradition, symphonic rock and Swedish folk music. In 1984 he was the first - and to date, the only - musician from northern Europe to win the prestigious international competition in improvisation, the "Grand Prix de Chartres". In the film you will also watch Idenstam perform Toccata V from his latest solo CD Metal Angel, and some tunes from the projects LÅTAR /Swedish Folk Tunes with Johan Hedin, nyckelharpa, (keyed fiddle) and Bach in Swedish with Lisa Rydberg, violin.

Individuality is the word you can append on the Swede Gunnar Idenstam, who's organ improvisations occupy their own universe - part hard apocalyptic progressive rock, part elfin folklore, part nave shaking French symphony. Idenstam's touch of the organ is as funky as it is majestic.

Gramophone

2019

How does it work?

More information