We heard Peter Söderberg on FRIM2 from the Swedish Association for Free Improvised Music, and now he’s here with a showcase for his ideas and experiments called String Dialogues (THANATOSIS PRODUKTION THT25), on Alex Zethson’s label.
The central idea is a strong one – Söderberg performing in duo situations with a number of talented musicians, including the cellist My Hellgren who was also on FRIM2. Again, it’s a crossover endeavour, blurring the lines between composition and improvisation and covering much ground thereby. Peter plays his guitar, lute, and his beloved Theorbo, the large 14-string instrument that I’d venture to suggest he is making all his own. Very clear recorded sound for each piece allows us to savour the precision of Söderberg’s ideas; as is evident from the crisp and detailed annotations he provides, he’s exploring specific things like timbre and non-conventional tuning systems, and apparently trying to evoke the appearance of a “hybrid” – as though the two instruments are growing together into a weird chimera, as they move closer towards each other with their respective sounds and playing styles. Along with these challenging experiments, the creator is also well-informed about the history and background of his chosen instruments, and the lineage of music generally.
Despite the poise, restraint, and technical mastery on offer, I think String Dialogues is potentially quite radical and challenging in its musical reach. With Katt Hernandez, Stina Hellberg Agback, Mats Persson, Sten Sandell, and Vilhelm Bromander. (From July 2023)