Reviews

This page collects reviews of Magnus Båge's performances and recordings from Swedish and international media. The reviews span his work as both a flute soloist and composer, from operas and jazz albums to flute concertos with symphony orchestras.

The reviews testify to Magnus Båge’s versatile artistry, with critics highlighting his ability to move between classical music, jazz and art music with naturalness and skill. His flute playing is consistently described as virtuoso and emotional, with his specially designed mouthpiece for glissando being particularly noted in performances of Rolf Martinsson’s “Shimmering Blue” and Anna-Lena Laurin’s flute concerto. As a composer, Magnus is praised for his works such as the children’s opera “Lilla Hon”, where the music is described as “easy listening and atmospheric” with “the whole spectrum of emotions”, and for the jazz album “Satori”, which is praised for its “fruitful meeting” between art music and free jazz. Critics from both Swedish and international publications consistently highlight his technical precision, emotional rendition and ability to convey the emotional depth of the music to the audience, which has established him as an internationally recognized artist.

Sundsvalls Tidning has reviewed Operan Lilla Hon. They wrote, among other things:

“Magnus Båge’s music encompasses both art music, dance and jazz, but has its roots in art music with a little modern spice without being modernist. This makes it easy to listen to and more atmospheric than strongly melodic, it expresses fear, joy, relaxation, caution – the entire spectrum of emotions, as opera music should.” “Last but not least, this little opera gem has a twist, where the question of who is evil and who is good gets a completely different answer than in ordinary horror stories.”

Review of Satori in “Lira” May 2015

Just when you thought you had figured out the direction of this album, you are surprised by a sudden change of course. Because it is probably difficult to make music sound more friendly than the one that flutist Magnus Båge makes together with pianist Lars Jansson, bassist Fredrik Jonsson and drummer Christer Sjöström in the first tracks on Satori. It is melodic, it is pure harmonies and no challenging rhythm or dynamics – everything is pleasant and everyone is happy. But then comes the title track, and the music changes shape. Gone is the consensus of consonance, and a number of tracks take place where atonality and dissonance are allowed to prevail. For Båge, with a background in classical music, it might be called art music. For the others, it is more like free jazz. But regardless of the name, it is a fruitful meeting – and when the music then returns to the kind tones, a certain feeling lingers, a feeling of depth. And it actually lifts this album, which otherwise would have risked being wiped out by too much goodwill.

REVIEWS OF ANNA-LENA LAURIN’S FLUTE CONCERT JANUARY 2011

“With a strong and personal presence, Båge highlights the beauty and freshness of the work. It is bright and light with lively variations that are especially carried by the flute, whose notes sometimes come forward, like sudden gusts of wind over a rippling surface. Ingrid Lindskog on harp conveys warmth and close appeal, like an emotional dialogue, and the orchestra’s strings surge forward with power like the masses of the sea. Here there is storm and quiet melancholy, in close interaction between orchestra and solo instrument. Laurin’s work touches and arouses emotions, and the audience received it with long applause.” Lena Svensson Ölandsbladet

“Now, more than at any other time during the evening, different emotions flow before the performance. Magnus Båge’s skillful flute playing took one’s breath away through its virtuosity. The emotions varied between extremes and through Ingrid Lindskog’s pleasant harp playing an extra dimension was created as well as through the orchestra’s collective force field” Lage Olsson Barometern

“The event of the evening was Anna-Lena Laurin’s “Concerto for flute, strings and harp”, which Camerata Nordica is premiering on its current tour with soloists Magnus Båge, flute, and Ingrid Lindskog, harp. Båge begins with a breathless solo in which he uses his specially constructed mouthpiece with which he can make stepless glissandos. He continues to be the leader. It is a captivating work, melodic, rhythmic, airy and bright, but also with darker elements. The combination of the solo instruments flute and harp is ingenious. The vital orchestra’s intense tutti parts give me a vision of a wide-branched deciduous tree rustling in the wind. It has obviously been inspiring to write for a flautist like Båge. The two soloists also played a finely tuned encore, a berceuse by the Finn Armas Järnefelt.” Kjell A Johansson Kristianstadsbladet

GREAT SUCCESS WITH JAN SANDSTRÖM’S FLUTE CONCERT

“Imaginative flutes in world premiere in Kristinehallen” “The orchestra often accompanies with long lines of supple harmonies without disturbing details. The solo part almost speaks to the listener. There are no predictable themes here, it changes in the moment with sudden outbursts or restraint. The flute concerto requires great precision and energy from both the soloist and the orchestra. It is fortunate then that Sandström composed this concerto with Magnus Båge in mind. He is absolutely phenomenal with his instrument. In addition to the sound and pinpoint accuracy, Båge brings out the entire emotional palette to portray the music. Engeset is as usual stable and reliable as a conductor and mediating link and Dalasinfoniettan is expressive and energetic behind the soloist.” Jenny Tiderman – Dalarnas Tidningar March 2009 “Inspiring music” “Jan Sandström’s newly written Concerto for Flute is truly an exciting experience, and with the increasingly noted Magnus Båge as soloist, this was an inspiring moment. This new composition, which is a commissioned work from the Dalasinfoniettan, the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and the Norrlandsoperans Symphony Orchestra, begins with a solo flute; a bit in the Carl Nielsen spirit – but from beginning to end it is the soloist who leads the music: the flute is this music’s astronaut, on wide adventures in magical, exotic spaces; with sparse, veil-like music. The flute is the Leader who lures the orchestra with it into the unknown. Some distant passages approach a weightless state. It is – paradoxically – both sheer and intense music.” “I get the feeling of twenty light years in twenty minutes.” Björn Gustavsson – Dalademokraten March 2009

NEW REVIEW OF MARTINSSON’S FLUTE CONCERT

A nice review was published in Uppsala Nya Tidning when Magnus performed Shimmering Blue – Rolf Martinsson’s flute concerto, together with Paul Mägi and the Uppsala Chamber Orchestra in Uppsala Concert Hall in March 2010.

“Finally, there is a comprehensive 26-minute, one-movement flute concerto called Shimmering Blue, which emphasizes a flute glissando technique and a matching orchestral timbre. It is a wonderful work and with many expressions played with pronounced tonal variation by the bow.” D Moore – American Record Guide

“Magnus Båge saved the evening”

“A very fine performance of Rolf Martinsson’s flute concerto Shimmering Blue, op 70 was the great – and only – highlight of Thursday’s concert in Malmö Concert Hall. The soloist was Magnus Båge, who premiered the work in 2005.” L-E Larsson, Skånska Dagbladet

Shimmering Blue at the Stockholm Concert Hall with the Gävle Symphony Orchestra during the composers’ festival 2008.

“Martinsson uses the glissando-manick, which the distinguished flutist Magnus Båge constructed himself, in the contrasting middle section of the daydreaming flute concerto Shimmering Blue (2005). Glenn Larsson assisted on vibraphone and cymbals in Martinsson’s jazzy encore “Energy”. Carl-Gunnar Åhlen – Svenska Dagbladet

“The now considerably smaller orchestra provides an overall fine and in many ways pleasant and relaxed accompaniment, supporting an absolutely stunningly skilled flutist. But Magnus Båge has also already gained a solid international reputation as a solo flutist. Many new works have been written specifically for him, including the acclaimed concerts by Rolf Martinsson and Jan Sandström.

Magnus Båge can let the flute both flick in forte passages completely free of slag but also, for example, in the slow middle movement, shape a softly rounded and characteristic flute tone balanced by a sensitive orchestra. A wonderful experience.”

Bengt Hultman – Västerbottens kuriren