Bengt Eklund was the founder and director of the now folded Göteborg Brass Band and a trumpet professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo and at the Academy of Music and Drama, Göteburg University. He was an exceptionally inspiring pedagogue and personality who made friends and contacts all around the world. He wanted his solo euphonium player at the Göteborg Brass Band, Patrik Randefalk, to play a melodic, sonorous tune in the upper register in a concert that consisted of Bengts own favourite music. Patrik then commissioned Song from Frode Rydland before Christmas 2006. Bengt was at the time very sick from cancer. The premiere took place in Frölunda Kyrka, Göteborg on the 4th ofMarch 2007. Bengt conducted the concert himself, only three weeks before his sad death. Song (in memoriam Bengt Eklund) is a rather simple tune, but nonetheless, quite beautiful. Patrik tells that Bengt loved the simple, which you made something out of.
Frode Rydland (born 1971), studied trumpet and pedagogy at the Grieg Academy, University of Bergen. Frode is probably most known as an arranger. He has put together winning programmes at the Siddis Brass entertainment contest with Eikanger-Bjørsvik Musikklag, where hes the soprano cornet player, and with several other bands. As a composer he won the Fodens Richardson Award in 2004 with the piece Hey-Hey!!.He also composed several other commissions for brass band.
Fundamental Music was established in October 2005. Fundamental came up when I was searching for anagrams to the name of my son, Amund Flaten. Fundamental is indeed a perfect anagram to his name, thus giving the word a strong personal meaning and association. For me, music is also a fundamental aspect of my life.
The Tormod Flaten Solo Series features the first published works on Fundamental Music and it consists solely of arrangements and compositions for euphonium. Most of the titles are recorded on my CDs Flight, Norwegian Euphonium and with seven tracks from the latest album From the Deep we continue to bring out quality music in this series.
-Tormod Flaten
Recorded on From the Deep
Parts: BC and TC
