Max Käck’s musical craft and base is classical music, not least with a cello in his arms, but his encounter and development of contemporary art music took place to a large extent through the electroacoustic medium, and the legendary Rune Lindblad. Over the years, and with an in-depth interest in both musical and existential issues, Käck’s art came to move more and more towards an acoustic exploration. Basically, Max Käck asks questions about the roots and origins of music in man’s existential search. Through clear, poetic and often slow, sonorous, and melodic shifts, a musical response to the secret that seems to connect the soul, man and life is sought. The music is searching, both in sound and meaning.
For the Kalv Festival visitor, perhaps Käck’s voice and silhouette are more familiar than the sounding. It is largely through Käck’s tireless work, great sensitivity, fine-tuned artistry, and professional attitude, that the village of Kalv has gained an example of culture when it works best: a forum for rich, challenging, inspiring and perspective-opening experiences of mainly sound art, often complemented by visual art, dance and nature experiences in a limited and fine-tuned context. Here, locals, composers, performers, students, organizers, critics, and others meet in an inspiring atmosphere where high artistic ambitions are challenged by practical implementation questions and varying listening reactions, where the existential dimension also has a place.
Composer John Cage once said that “Everything we do is done by invitation. That invitation comes from oneself or from another person”. Max Käck once invited art music to Kalv, perhaps then no one had – in the true sense – asked for it. This festival, 2022, we have invited Käck back to the church in Kalv, and the relationship is thus reversed. And (his) music will come before us as a possible answer to our existential questions.