DISCOGRAPHY
The discography of Kristian Blak is an extensive one. Check out the subsections of this category for more details.
In addition to being an accomplished artist and composer in his own right, Kristian Blak conducts and composes for the two bands Yggdrasil and Kvonn as well as others.
You can find all of Kristian Blak's compositions here:
"Timint Areh" by Yggdrasil and Vera Kondrateva, released in 2022. (HJF555)
"String Quartets" by Kristian Blak and NeoQuartet, released in 2022. (FKT085)
"Music from the Islands, vol. 3" by Jože Kotar & Luca Ferrini, released in 2021. Track 4: Kristian Blak Lanslag / Bárður *World premiere recording (HJF098)
Masques – Quatre tempéraments avec ouverture by Yggdrasil, released in 2018. (HJF477)
"Music from the Islands… Between the Mainland and the Sea vol. 2" by Jože Kotar & Luca Ferrini, released in 2018. Track 4: Dialogue no. 2 *World premiere recording
"Music from the Islands… Between the Mainland and the Sea" by Jože Kotar & Luca Ferrini, released in 2017. Track 2: Svínoy - Kristian Blak, *world premiere recording (HJF068)
Live Concert at the University Hospital Tubingen, released in 2005 on double DVD. (HJF122)
"Concerto Grotto" by Yggdrasil, released in 1984. (HJF018)
"Fuglar, Fiskar Og Fólk" by Kristian Blak, released in 2016.
"Lipet El Seven Brothers" by Vera Kondrateva, Kristian Blak and Yggdrasil, released in 2016.
"Einglarót" by Kvonn, released in 2015.
"Dímun" by Yggdrasil, released in 2014.
"Grót & Vatn" by Yggdrasil, released in 2012.
"Ljós og Myrkur" by Kristian Blak, released in 2012.
"Travelling" by Yggdrasil, released in 2011.
"Duologues" by Yggdrasil, released in 2009. This transatlantic joint venture by Faroese composer Kristian Blak and Danish artist Anders Hjuler creates a new concept. Duologues can consist of talk or just two being together. Here, two brilliant destinies meet in an interesting, touching, important or famous situation. We have created 9 compositions in music and oil pastels illustrating meetings over 2500 years from Confucius and Laotse 500 BC to Mandela and Dalai Lama today.
"Seta" by Richard Nunns and Yggdrasil, released in 2009. Seta is Faroese for "meeting/gathering" – a combination of music set in natural and studio settings, bringing together musical instruments and ideas from Nordic and Mäori traditions. Recorded in the Faroe Islands in the cave Klæmintsgjógv on the island of Hestur and a studio overlooking Hest fjord.
"The Bow Project" by Nightingale String Quartet & Nofinishi Dyvili, released in 2009. Hailed as one of the most important musical heritage projects created in South Africa, The Bow Project was launched in 2002 by composer Michael Blake as a project of NewMusicSA’s annual New Music Indaba at the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown.
"Tinna Og Tám" by Kristian Blak, Steinbjørn B. Jacobsen and Heðin Ziska Davidsen, released in 2008.
"Hvonn" by Kvonn, released in 2007. KVONN’s repertoire includes music composed by the band members, as well as traditional tunes and tunes from the 18th century notebook of Faroese musician and scholar Jens Chr. Svabo.
"Askur" by Yggdrasil, released in 2007. In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil is the World Tree.
"Risastova" by Kristian Blak/Yggdrasil, released 2006. Compositions and arrangements by Kristian Blak and Kári Sverrisson for the ensemble Yggdrasil.
"Úr Hólminum" by Kristian Blak, released in 2004. Úr Hólminum ("from the Holm") is one of several of Blak’s compositions in which the musical material is derived from contours of landscapes; in this case the graphic line as seen towards the west from the village of Mykines. From the southwest, the horizon meets the stacks at the end of Mykineshólmur; and from there, the line of the landscape raises steadily towards the vertical fall on the north side of the island.
"Live in Rudolstadt" by Kristian Blak/Yggdrasil, released in 2004. During 2003 Kristian Blak presented his group YGGDRASIL at numerous concerts around the world. Yggdrasil’s music is mainly compositions by Kristian Blak and interpretations of ethnic material from the North Atlantic region: Faroese ballads, hymns, rhymes, Inuit songs, Shetland music, and ethno-jazz-world music.
"Malargrót" by Spælimenninir, released in 2003.
"Contours" by Kristian Blak, released in 2003.
"Fuglamál" by Kristian Blak, released in 2003. (FKT025)
"Sóljudansir" by various artists, released in 2003. Features children's music by Alexandur Kristiansen.
"Piniartut" by Tellu Virkkala, Ville Kangas, Rasmus Lyberth and Kristian Blak, released in 2003. Piniartut means "the hunters" and this ensemble seeks and finds new music in the ancient roots. Moving from rich, quiet and sublime ambiance to almost vicious strands of noise, the Piniartut find what they were looking for: originality.
"Echoes of the Past» by Edvard Nyholm Debess, Kristian Blak, Sámal Petersen, Jón Festirstein, Páll Danielsen, Sunleif Rasmussen and Kári Bæk, Alan Ridout, released in 2003.
"Træið" by Kristian Blak, Pauli í Sandagerði, Kristian Blak, Sunleif Rasmussen, released in 1989/2003.
"Dedicated" by Aldubáran, released in 2003. All the music has been written for the musicians in the ensemble Aldubáran by composers still living who each represent a particular style within new music. Music written today is normally termed modern or post-modern. Modern meaning a mirror picture of the environment and times. Music described as post-modern is said to sound of the past and present intertwined. We hear old melodies and harmonies in a new style or old forms with new material.
"Yggdrasil" by Yggdrasil, released in 2002. Compositions and arrangements by Kristian Blak for the Nordic ensemble Yggdrasil and Faroese singer Eivør Pálsdóttir. Yggdrasil is the World Tree in Norse mythology.
"Faroeesti" by Faroeesti, released in 2002. Faroeesti was formed for concerts in Estonia in 1992, initiated by the Nordic House in the Faroe Islands as a collaboration project with the Baltic region. This recording reflects the Faroese and Estonian musicians' work over the years.
"Light When Dark" by Karsten Vogel, released in 2001. Featured concerts in caves of the islands Nólsoy and Hestur in May of 2000.
"Anybody Home?" by John Tchicai, released in 2001. John Tchicai composed "Hulemusik" – translated: "Cave Music" – for a concert in the cave of Klæmintsgjógv. In addition to this suite, additional works were created for this concert on June 26th, 2000, recorded here.
"Burturav" by Spælimenninir, released in 2001. Features folk dance music from the Scandinavia, orkney, Shetland and USA.
"Á Ferð" by Spælimenninir í Hoydølum, released in 2001. Features live recordings from USA, Scotland, Orkney and the Faroes.
"Boreas" by Boreas, released in 2000.
"Wind Music from Faroe Islands" by Cantus Borealis, released in 2000.
"Four Concertos for Harp and Orchestra" by Sofia Ansuncion Claro, released in 1999.
"24 Préludes" by Kristian Blak, released in 1999.
"Klæmint" by Kristian Blak, released in 1998. A suite composed to be played in a grotto - Klæmintsgjógv - on the coast of Hestur, Faroe Islands. The music is recorded on location May-August 1998. In 1984, the first grotto concert with music by Kristian Blak, "Concerto Grotto," was performed in another cave - Líðargjógv, Sandoy - by the group Ygdrasil and recorded on the same occasion.
"Shalder Geo" by Kristian Blak, released in 1997. A suite, based on traditional vocal and instrumental material from the Faroe Islands and the neighbouring Shetland Islands. Shalder Geo is brilliant music that combines great depth with undeniable surface charm. It's inspiring how Blak's most recent music is among his richest.
"Øll Hava Veingir" by Kári Svensson and children, released in 1997. Features nursery rhymes, chain dancing and new Faroese songs, made by children and adults, including music by Kári Sverrisson. In the latter part of the CD, there is also a story in Faroese. The music is provided by many different musicians, such as the folk band Spælimenninir.
"Nósi" by Kristian Blak, released in 1996. Features the musical story of Nósi, the young seal, who leaves her mother to do some exploring on her own.
"Flóð og Fjøra" by Spælimenninir, released in 1996. "The band has - in a smart and varied set of strong, hummable new-made and traditional dance tunes, plus several instrumental developments of Faroese skjaldur, one of a kingo hymn, and two songs, one Faroese and one from Jutland - its own sound, an airy, zesty lift that twitches the feet for dancing, somewhere between Shetland, Norden, Scotland and Cape Breton in feel." (Andy Cronshaw, Folk Roots, UK)
"Undirlýsi" by Kristian Blak, The Finnish-Estonian Baroque Orchestra, Moyzes Quartet, Pekka Helasvuo and Bjørn Malmquist, released in 1995.
"Landið" by Slovak Radio Orchestra, released in 1995. "This disc illustrates the remarkable progress of Faroese music in the last decade, enabling their composers to stand alongside their Scandinavian collegues at such events as the Nordic Music Days and other festivals." (John Warnaby, Nordic Sounds)
"Rekaviður / Hinvegin" by Spælimenninir, released in 1991. "There are many different shades on this, their sixth and best album. For unadulterated good feeling, it would be hard to beat. And for pure beauty, an instrumental medley of ancient hymns from the Faroe Islands featuring outstanding piano from Kristian Blak." (Andy Nagy, Boston Globe, USA)
"Firra" by Kristian Blak, released in 1990.
"Addeq" by Kristian Blak, released in 1989. "The music is developed as a suite in 8 parts. Musical phenomena which one otherwise would not have come in contact with in our world of mass media are presented here. And it is done with a loyalty to the East Greenlandic motives in a serious, noncommercial endeavour..." (Erik Wiedeman, Information, Denmark)
"Ávaringar" by Ernst Dalsgarð, released in 1989. All the works on this CD have been composed for flautist Ernst Dalsgarð or for ensembles of which he is a member.
"Images" by Moyzes Quartet, released in 1989. "In Blak's composition I again experienced the reasons for this admiration: the paradox between warmth and coldness, vibrating oscillation and uncompromising firmness, expansiveness and minute detail - all this was heard in "Images"; the musicians of Moyzes Quartet were able to reveal and bring forth all this from this remarkable score. (Igor Javorsky, concert review, Slovakia)
"Brøytingar" by Yggdrasil, released in 1988. "Brøytingar" is about change, about the inevitability of destruction in the name of progress. It is the reason that the melodies Blak has written are tinged with a sense of wistful melancholy.