Like a Flame

For 2009 song by The Proclaimers, see Notes & Rhymes.
Like a Flame
Live album by Frederik Magle
Released December 2010
Recorded December 22–23, 2009
Genre Contemporary classial / Organ improvisation
Label Proprius Music

Like a Flame is a double-album with free improvisations for organ by Frederik Magle released in December 2010 on the Swedish record label Proprius Music (PRCD 2061). It was recorded on the then new Frobenius pipe organ in Jørlunde church on December 22–23, 2009. Frederik Magle recorded a total of 60 free improvisations over the course of the two days and later selected 23 to be released on the double album. The improvisations was recorded in one take.[1]

The album has been mostly favorably reviewed,[2][3][4][5] but also been criticized and caused some debate about the nature of improvisation with the reviewers of Danish magazine Orglet and Danish Organist's Society (DOKS) magazine Organistbladet arguing for the use of traditional fugal and choral forms as well as stylistic copies of Johann Sebastian Bach when improvising[6][7] and on the other hand organist, jazz-pianist, and composer Henrik Sørensen defending the free improvisational form on Like a Flame in an article in Danish organ-magazine Orgelforum.[8]

Origin of the title

The title of the album (and the title track) is derived from a quote from the Irish poet William Butler Yeats' play The Land of Heart's Desire:[1]

Faeries, come take me out of this dull world,
For I would ride with you upon the wind,
Run on the top of the dishevelled tide,
And dance upon the mountains like a flame!

Track List

CD1:

  1. Origin
  2. Like a Flame
  3. Fleeting Glimpses
  4. Towards Truth
  5. A Temptation
  6. Merry-go-round
  7. Awakening
  8. Awake
  9. To Become
  10. Realization
  11. Truth

CD2:

  1. Odditorium
  2. Through the Mist
  3. Crossing Borders
  4. Dreams of Childhood Dreams
  5. Memories of Meadows
  6. Behind the Mask
  7. Empty Fair
  8. Lament
  9. Journey Forever
  10. Destiny
  11. Ascending
  12. End of the Circle

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 (Double album with organ music by Frederik Magle)
  2. ↑ MusicWeb International. "MAGLE - Like a Flame Proprius PRCD 2061 (Byz): Classical Music Reviews". Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  3. ↑ Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review. "Frederik Magle's Tradition in Modernity: the Classic Art of Organ Improvisation on "Like A Flame"". Retrieved 26 November 2011.
  4. ↑ Östgöta Correspondenten. "Backmans klassiska cd-tips" (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  5. ↑ Orgelforum. "CD-anmeldelse, "Like a flame, Frederik Magle, orgel"" (in Danish). Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  6. ↑ ORGLET 1/2011 ISSN 0106-1011
  7. ↑ Organistbladet. "Øjeblikkets Kunst" (in Danish). Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  8. ↑ Orgelforum. "Orgel og Improvisation" (in Danish). Retrieved 8 November 2011.