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"He doesn't play his pieces, he dances them, with a deep sense for the space between sparkling notes", says French master guitarist Pierre Bensusan about Ansgar Dälken, who has finally established his position in the top league of European Fingerstyle guitarists.
Ansgar Dälken's special musical language, which captures from the very first note, is based on deeply felt and masterfully interpreted playing. His excellent technique is not directed at "athletic achievements", but on the depth and value of every single note. The results are a beautifully resonating tone and a music full of broad open horizons and intense atmosphere, in which the listener loves to bathe - guitaristic panorama paintings.
After early experiences with piano, violin and recorder opened a relatively wide musical horizon, Ansgar Dälken (born 1961) at the age of 11 discovers his passion for the guitar. With it he lives through the multi-faceted music scen of the seventies, accompanied by an exceptionally qualified musical education at school. In the early eighties Dälken begins to melt his varied influences into his very personal idiom as an interpreter and not least as a composer; inspired by guitarists like Peter Finger, Pierre Bensusan, Alex de Grassi or Ralph Towner – musicians with a wide horizon in regards of stylistical borders or typically guitaristic genres. This process is documented by the CD Pooka (1997), produced over a period of several years under own direction.
Two years after the release of the debut album Dälken wins the 2nd prize at the 1999 guitar competition of the Open Strings Festival, according to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung "the state of the art of the acoustic guitar". His performance is so impressive, that Europes most renowned acoustic guitar label, Acoustic Music Records, contracts him. They release his second CD Madeleine (2000) which is enthusiastically acclaimed by public, press and well-known colleagues. After that Ansgar Dälken is a welcome visitor at concerts all over Germany, at international guitar festivals and he is participant of the International Guitar Night Tour all over Germany. He wins more and more fans, far beyond guitarist’s spheres. With his third CD Llaneza (2002) he perfectly documents his musical development and easily exceeds the high expectations after the predecessor. Unlike the first two CDs, which were partially produced with ensemble, Llaneza is completely solo. As in concerts, the fascination of Dälken's music is heard in it's best advantage.
In the following time he ventures on the huge project of arranging the complete works of Thelonious Monk, one of the most important (jazz) composers and pianists of the 20th century, for solo guitar (in DADGAD tuning). He produces a solo recording of about a third of the arrangements. The result can be heard on his CD All Ways Know (2010). On this album Ansgar Dälken successfully perceives and reflects the essence of Monk's originals while filling it with new life at the same time. Hence the musical cosmos of this great pianist is audible on nothing but six strings for the first time.
On his latest album Now (2017) he closes a circle back to his roots. The album contains original compositions and the arrangements of tunes by some of his most favourite celtic and scandinavian musicians. This mainly solistic recording is augmented by some low whistle and mandola. |
