3 Cutting Principles
“Like a soundtrack to the aurora borealis herself”
Franz Stewart on 3 CUTTING PRINCIPLES;
“The 3 Cutting Principles is a new take on the art of stone cutting – an organic process that involves an intimate understanding of the raw material and its structure, layers and possibilities to create something entirely new and unique. It requires a bold, creative vision, craftsmanship and the right skills and tools. Bring it all together and magic happens, especially if you apply the 3 Cutting Principles. Made in the north of Sweden, the group’s transformative, alternative poporchestral music is perhaps best described as Nordic post-modernism – like a soundtrack to the aurora borealis herself. Jonas Nyström, Manne von Ahn Öberg and Nicolai Dunger are the 3 Cutting Principles.
The group’s unconventional creative process involves creating and recreating everything from tiny melodic fragments to large orchestral arrangements. The pieces are woven together in intricate and unexpected patterns to create a completely new sound landscape that gives birth to new melodies, rhythms and song. The music hints at the vast, open space and timelessness of Norrland; the light and the darkness, and an undeniable sense of self – seamlessly connected to the surrounding nature, the stars and beyond. Welcome to a place like no other – a post-modern sound experience inspired by the north of Sweden and created by the 3 Cutting Principles.“
Reflections on the 3 Cutting Principles
Nicolai Dunger; Text and Vocals
The first pieces of music Manne sent me were like a virgin forest. They had no titles. The soul was there – I just needed to find it, embrace it and sing out its story. The journey would take me to the titles: Break aWay, Worship, The Blessing and My Lord – and to the discovery of the 3 Cutting Principles. But taking that first step into the forest was hard. There was no path and no compass. I searched without knowing what I was searching for. But with each step, guided only by the melodies, this virgin forest revealed herself to me and me to myself. Soon I came upon a path and it was really satisfying because I sensed that by taking it I was becoming part of something much larger and that the path would take me to where I needed to go. It was not long before I realized that it was leading me – and the music – home. I found Manne and Jonas sitting, waiting for me in a small cottage on a hill, where the forest ends and the mire begins. Everything fell into place here.
The Wait, Endorsement and Angel Eyes were also done at this very special place. Jonas sitting by his church organ, Manne, the sound architect, at the controls and me by the fireplace letting the music bellow out like smoke through the chimney. So, with this in mind, possessing a detailed knowledge of the 3 Cutting Principles is vital. It takes you home.
Jonas Nyström; Composer and Director
The creative process behind the 3 Cutting Principles was literally about feeling our way forward. It was like a fascinating, slow boiling down of a mix of material and ideas. All three of us contributed equally, but in very different ways, to achieve a rich and tasty result unlike anything I have heard before. We were aware that we were entering unchartered territory – a new sound landscape, and it was exhilarating. There was no recipe to follow and no predecessors to mimic. We felt open, free, and bold, surrendering completely to the process itself. We continuously added new elements, removed others, trying and testing new combinations to create a collage of sounds, rhythms and melodies – and then refifined it over time to arrive at its pure essence. Looking back, in many ways, being able to fully embrace the process in this way was almost as important to me as the final result.
Our open, non-conformist creative process led us to several unique arrangement and instrumentation solutions, like the solemn and expressive solo for Cor Anglais. Another example is a rhythmic and playful accompaniment using a small pipe organ – everything coming together in an organic and unique whole. Simply put, our musical journey and the places it took us are comparable to nothing else.
Manne von Ahn Öberg; Sound & Song Architect and Producer
My career was truly alive and kicking when something happened that changed my life. I became aware that I had an almost burnt out relation to the music industry and even to my own soul. The urge for something deeper and more sincere grew in me, so I took a time-out to consider and perhaps reconsider the values of my life. The road I chose was the one leading away from the musical highway – a decision that would make all the difference. Over time, I began searching my musical roots and eventually found a source of strength and inspiration that led me to the musical idea behind the 3 Cutting Principles. As a sort of therapy and survival kit I went back to my library of unused recorded ideas, primarily created together with Jonas, and placed these almost forgotten orchestral arrangements and musical fragments out on the table – a therapeutic puzzle that would be my redemption. After ten years in a black hole I found my way up by embracing the process of the 3 Cutting Principles.