Magnus Granberg: How Lonely Sits the City? (version for quartet)

In 2020 the Japanese Meenna label took the unprecedented step of releasing two different versions of Magnus Granberg's composition Come Down to Earth Where Sorrow Dwelleth within months of one another, the first performed by the American quartet Ordinary Affects, the second by a Japanese quartet of sho, koto, prepared piano and no-input mixing board; both versions were very well received.

In March 2022, Another Timbre released How Lonely Sits the City?, recorded in June 2021, and played by the septet Skogen comprising two violins, one played by Eva Lindal, harp played by Stina Hellberg Agback, prepared piano played by Granberg himself, vibraphone, glockenspiel, whistling, objects, friction, piezo, percussion; it was very well received, with Granberg and Skogen both being praised.

The composition had been requested of Granberg in September 2019 by Agback and cellist Leo Svensson Sander; when work on it was about to start, the arrival of Covid and the lockdown led to a rethink. The piece that initially emerged was for a quartet comprising violinist Eva Lindal, Sander on cello, Agback on harp and Granberg on piano; however, as he wanted to do something during lockdown with his group Skogen, Granberg wrote additional parts to expand the piece to seven players, the version released on Another Timbre. Now, in a move reminiscent of the 2020 events, Meenna has released the quartet version of How Lonely Sits the City?, with the quartet of LIndall, Agback, Granberg and Sander.

If all of the above chopping and changing is confusing, it can be boiled down to a very simple resumé. Two different versions of How Lonely Sits the City have been issued, a septet version on Another Timbre and a quartet version on Meenna. The two versions are subtly different but each of them is excellent and highly rated. Rather than opting for one version, listeners—particularly Granberg afficionados—are recommended to hear both as they complement one another well and make fascinating listening.