Growing Darkness

For more than four decades, Mogens Christensen has created a unique musical world in which the fluidity of dreams combines with an aphoristic, crystal-clear precision. His works often draw from sources of inspiration such as natural phenomena, Nordic myths or literary references and guide the listener through landscapes with intense atmospheric depth.

Mogens Christensen (b. 1955) is one of Denmark's most important musical interpreters, whether it comes to teaching children and students or composing music that manages to connect the poetic and the functional. Poetry and literature have shaped Christensen's career significantly, and this release also reflects his fascination with myths and mythical creatures.

The album presents a series of chamber music works. The title work »Gura – The Growing Darkness« is inspired by the myth by Danish author Johannes V. Jensen about the character Gura, a »mist« that »exists on the border between day and night« and as growing darkness increasingly takes over. The latest work »Flumina mortis« from 2022 was written for the renowned Messiaen Quartet Copenhagen. The title is Latin for »rivers of death« and refers to the five rivers in the underworld of Hades, each of which is devoted to one part.