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Hvoslef Chamber Works No. VIII is the next-to-last in a series of nine releases of Ketil Hvoslef’s complete chamber music. The idea of recording 38 of Hvoslef’s chamber music works was conceived of by violinist Ricardo Odriozola and pianist Einar Røttingen, both with backgrounds spanning many years of collaboration with the composer. Ketil Hvoslef (b. 1939) is a productive, versatile and undogmatic composer who — at the age of 83 — continues to write music at a furious pace. Hvoslef’s style is characterized by an economy of means, the accumulation of latent energy, rhythmical ingenuity and, often, an element of humour. Stringed instruments are at the centre of this release. The string quartets no. 1 and 4 are separated in time by more than four decades. No. 1 was written in London under difficult circumstances and has a rather aggressive quality to it, bearing little resemblance to the Hvoslef style to which we are accustomed. No. 4, on the other hand, has all the qualities we associate with the mature Hvoslef, with many witty ideas along the way. “Octopus Rex” for eight cellos is a nod to “Octet for Flutes” from volume two of this series. Although its musical expression is ‘harder-edged’ than in the older flute octet, it reveals itself to be a work of elegiac character. The last work on the album is the brilliant “Concerto for Violin and Pop Band”. Written for the composer’s son, Trond Sæverud, it received its premiere at the Kalvøya Festival the same year (the concert could not be called a complete success and those interested can read more about it in the CD booklet). This is not a “crossover” work, having been conceived as a classical composition written for instruments found in a pop or jazz band. There have been numerous performances, but this is the first time it has appeared on a recording. The recordings draw from the vast pool of performers in Bergen, where the composer lives and works. The performers are primarily from the Grieg Academy (University of Bergen / Bergen University College) and Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.