Presse
Blaue Blume, LAWO LWC1019 (2011)
Yearning and passion. Convincing Schumann interpretation by Rune Alver. Schumann’s Fantasie op. 17 is dedicated to Liszt who was of the opinion that it was not suitable for public presentation. Rune Alver does not share this opinion. On this new CD his interpretive imagination illuminates the wild, frenzied qualities that probably made Liszt hesitate in his time. We hear romantic yearning and passion, ruins, fragments and irony – all wrapped in delicate musical articulation. In the first movement Alver keeps up the tension through all the wave movements right into the concluding Beethoven quotation. He also successfully brings out the contrast between the wild Florestan and the mild Eusebius (...) The final track is Blue Traces by Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen – a lyrical contemporary composition which fits perfectly into the romantic context. Peter Larsen, 6. april 2011 Bergens Tidende
Breathing delight. This is music that breaths. And the way this CD is composed it never gets boring. The title « Blaue Blume », « Blue Flower » reflects different qualities of this CD. The music unfolds in a way that easily creates the image of an opening blue flower. The music by the masters Robert Schumann and Frédéric Chopin opens the CD. Chopin´s elegant Mazurka and Ballade are here given elegant and playful interpretations. Then, what seems to be the peak of this CD: Schumann´s fabulous and, for its time, unique work, Fantasy in C-major, here performed with engagement and great insight. Once again Rune Alver succeeds in creating an atmosphere invoking a series of assosiations.
The last work is « Blue Traces » by the Norwegian contemporary composer Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen. The work is inspired by the paintings by the Norwegian artists John Petter Haveraas, Elin Alver and Thor Erdal, all of them printed in the booklet of the CD and all of them meditations on the color blue. Certainly, the music of Chopin and Schumann is beautiful, impressive and magnificent. The music of Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen, on the other hand, is wondering, full of fantasy and throughout worth listening to. He has created music based on his personal conceptions of the paintings and the expressions of the artists. And he contributes to triggering of the listener in creating personal fantasies – blue fantasies. In this work as well Rune Alver´s performance is impressive - confirming his versatile musical talent. Trond Erikson 17.08.2011 Smaalenene.no
Solo-piano
The Bergen pianist Rune Alver tours the world with his eminent piano playing, and his third album shows why: He has chosen works by two composers from the 19th century. Frédéric Chopin´s Mazurka and Ballade, and Robert Schumann´s Fantasy. He gives an unique impact on his audience with his artistic engangement and professional skills. Geir Hovensjø, april 2011 Østlendingen
RA´s interpretations of Chopin and Schumann are attractively natural. The music seems to unfold in his hands all by itself – one never feels that he forces any «interpretations» on it. Martin Anderson april 2011 Klassisk Musikkmagasin
The pianist Rune Alver put the comtemporary music together with Frédéric Chopin and Robert Schumann and performs it all clearly and refined. Astrid Kvalbein april 2011 Aftenposten
Le nouveau Grieg, MUDI (MUD 2092)
VERY GOOD ! It is a pleasure to experience Grieg´s Peasant Dances with the Bergen pianist Rune Alver on Grieg´s own grand piano; it is a rhytmically pregnant interpretation that never becomes compact, not even when Grieg piles up with full chords. Tore Lund in BA, Bergensavisen 06.03.08.
Genuine Grieg. “Peace of the Woods” (Op. 71, no. 4) becomes a real delight; it is as if he steals upon the music and caresses it into the piano keys, and out comes a tuneful and colorful melody. Rune Alver has been active as a professional performer for many years, but he should be paid much more attention to. This CD clearly demonstrates that he deserves it. By TORI SKREDE, 04.03.2008 in VG (Oslo)
Grieg taken seriously. Alver’s interpretations are not behind those of his far more celebrated colleague from Karmøy; indeed they are better. Where Andsnes (EMI) is uninvolved and predictable, Alver sounds deep and plays with decesive accentuation of the transitions between the shifting themes. Arnstein Olaisen, Haugesunds Avis, 1 april 2008
Poetry from Grieg's grand piano. He performs with warm and sensitive expression as well as refinement, intensity and precision. Marianne Lystrup, Vaart Land 18 March 2008
Colourful Grieg interpretations. This recording is particularly characterized by the rhythmical drive in some of the peasant dances – as in Jon Væstafæs Springar, where Rune Alver uses the bass in fresh and elegant three-beat, while he lets his right hand sound like a light-hearted milkmaid in the mountain farm in summer. And speaking about three-beat: Springdans in tradition after Myllarguten is played elegantly and inventively; heavily with the left hand and playfully with the right. Alver never loses his foot, and it is an excellent choice to play these peasant dances as if lightly intoxicated. Reviewed by Nina Krohn, NRK, 07.03.2008
Foto: Vegar Valde