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2L Records - Linberg Lyd AS
Norway is blessed with many churches and cathedrals and most of the 2L recordings are made in these wonderfull spaces. The music captured by 2L features Norwegian composers and performers, and an international repertoire reflected in the Nordic athmosphere. 2L recognizes the fundamental values of stunning musical performances and excellent sound production and they capture these performances at their most real. |
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2L-RR-1SABD ~ the Nordic sound : 2L audiophile reference recordings ~ Various 2L Records Artists
Blu-ray is the first domestic format in history that unites theatre movies and music sound in equally high quality. The musical advantage of Blu-ray is the high resolution for audio, and the convenience for the audience as one single player will handle music, films, their DVD-collection and their old library of traditional CDs. … By developing one common format for surround technology that we have been working with for years finally becomes accessible to the general public. Fairly soon almost all disc players will be Blu-ray devices, and already now a majority of the sound systems that come off the shelf are 5.1 surround systems. … MORE INFORMATION
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2L66SACD ~ deUsynlige ~ Iver Kleive, organ
The organ music is in a sense one of the main characters in the motion picture TROUBLED WATER. Possessing a distinct personality and playing a unique role the music interacts with the drama and influences the other characters. Working on the script brought me to Iver Kleive. His experience in church music and the influence of jazz was a perfect match for the characters. Recording Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water in Bergen Cathedral left a powerful and lasting impression on me. - Erik Poppe, director MORE INFORMATION
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2L61SACD ~ Audiens ~ Schola Cantorum, Tone Bianca Dahl with Nordic Voices and Are Sandbakken
What is the music of the Nordic light? Let yourself be transported to a new world of sound as the chamber choir Schola Cantorum and conductor Tone Bianca Dahl, with guest musicians Are Sandbakken and Nordic Voices, grant you an AUDIENCE. Hear one of Norway's leading choirs in premier recordings and modern classics. MORE INFORMATION
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2L60SABD ~ Edvard Grieg - Piano Cocerto ~ Percy Grainger, piano -
Kristiansand Symfoniorkester, Rolf Gupta conductor - Edvard Grieg piano - Øyvind Bjorå violin - Rex Lawson pianolist
In 2007, conductor Rolf Gupta gave the first Norwegian performance of Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor with the legendary Australian pianist Percy Grainger (1882-1961) as the posthumous soloist. On this recording, the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra accompanies Grainger's original and controversial interpretation of the concerto. In addition, the violinist Øyvind Bjorå and pianolist Rex Lawson perform Grieg's Violin Sonata in C minor. The recording also includes a handful of Grieg's Lyric Pieces, performed by the composer himself. Astonishingly, these performances have not been available to the public until now. MORE INFORMATION
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2L59SACD ~ Treble and Bass - Violin & Double Bass Concertos by Ståle Kleiberg ~ Marianne Thorsen, violin - Göran Sjölin, double bass - Tronheim Symfoniorkester - Daniel Reuss, conductor
The two concertos presented in this recording were both commissioned by the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, an orchestra with which Ståle Kleiberg has had an extensive collaboration over many years. He has been their composer-in-residence, and in 2003 the orchestra released a CD of several of his orchestral works. MORE INFORMATION
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2L58SABD ~ Flute Mystery - Music by Fred Jonny Berg ~ Emily Beynon, flute - Philharmonia Orchestra - Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor
Only the full symphony orchestra can impose the true emotional dynamics of the arctic nature. Flute Mystery is a collection of five orchestral works by Norwegian composer Fred Jonny Berg. In this distinctive and dynamic surround sound recording, the Philharmonia Orchestra with Emily & Catherine Beynon as soloists on flute & harp are conducted by the legendary Vladimir Ashkenazy. MORE INFORMATION
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2L57SABD ~ Mozart / Grieg: Werke für zwei klaviere Vol. II ~ dena piano duo - [ Tina Margareta Nilssen - Heide Görtz ]
Mozart's Sonata in D for Two Keyboards K 448 is considered to be one of the most important works for piano duo in Western music. Mozart composed the sonata to play together with his pupil Josephine Aurnhammer. In a letter to his father he wrote that in November 1781 he had performed with her in a private recital at the Aurnhammer home in Vienna. The Dena Piano Duo consists of the Norwegian pianist Tina Margareta Nilssen and her former professor at the Universität der Künste in Berlin, Heide Görtz. The duo has played in several concert series and festivals in Europe. In 2007 they released their critically acclaimed recording of Grieg’s Mozart arrangements. MORE INFORMATION
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2L56SACD ~ Bellezza Crudel: Vivaldi Cantatas & Concertos ~ Tone Wik, soprano - Barokkanerne, period instruments ensemble
Having finished her studies at the Norwegian Academy of Music and the Oslo Conservatory of Music, Tone Wik developed an interest in early music. This repertoire, with its demands for technical virtuosity and almost instrumental clarity of sound, suited her perfectly. She then went on to complete graduate studies in baroque singing at the Royal Conservatory in the Hague, Netherlands. MORE INFORMATION
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2L55SACD ~ Black Bird: Works for Clarinet & Piano ~ Fredrik Fors, clarinet - Sveinung Bjelland, Piano
Few instruments have appealed as much to composers' imagination as the clarinet. Its remarkable propensity for timbral variation - from the softest, barely audible tone to piercing, almost desperate sounds make it particularly suited to expressing the whole gamut of human emotion. Fredrik Fors and Sveinung Bjelland have assembled a comprehensive menu of musical delicacies for this recording. Music by composers as Stravinsky, Saint-Saëns, Schumann, Grieg, Madsen and others. MORE INFORMATION
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2L54SACD ~ Chamber Music by ELLIOTT CARTER - Figments and Fragments ~ JOHANNES MARTENS ENSEMBLE
For this album of music by Elliott Carter, on Norwegian label 2L, cellist Johannes Martens has assembled some of Norway's foremost young musicians. Tracing Carter's development through some of his most creative periods, these works - from the beautiful
1946 Elegy and the celebrated Cello Sonata from 1948 through to newer pieces for solo instruments, duo, trio and string quartet - constitute nearly a cross-section of musical evolution in the 20th century's second half. MORE INFORMATION
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2L53SACD ~ Engegårdkvartetten ~ STRING QUARTETS
The Engegård Quartet made their first appearance at the 2006 Lofoten International Music Festival. Inspired by the midnight sun, their musical landscape ranges from glowing core energy to the gentle lyrical sound of Norwegian nature. Edvard Grieg and Leif Solberg are natural choices for this Scandinavian quartet, complimented by the music of Joseph Haydn reflected in a Nordic atmosphere. The strong musical nerve is emphasized by an intense sound production by Lindberg Lyd. MORE INFORMATION
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2L52SACD ~ Missa da Tromba ~ Jan Fredrik Christiansen, trumpet - Terje Winge, organ
The tradition of pairing trumpet and organ goes back a long way; it is, however, only in recent years that Norwegian composers have found the inspiration to write concert music for this combination of instruments. In addition to the fanfares and festivity often associated with the trumpet, today's composers also exploit the instrument's potential for expressing tender, meditative moods. MORE INFORMATION
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2L51SABD ~ SONaR: music by Magnar Åm ~ Ellen Sejersted Bødtker, electric and acoustic harps - Hildegunn Riise, recitation - Berit Norbakken, soprano - Oslo Kammersolister - Jon Gjesme / Atle Sponberg, violins - Catherine Bullock / Jon Sønstebø, violas - Øystein Sonstad / Anne Brit Sævig Årdal, cellos - Grex Vocalis - Carl Høgset, conductor
Ellen Sejersted Bødtker is renowned for her commitment to and enthusiasm for contemporary music and has given several first performances in her capacity as solo harpist of the Oslo Sinfonietta, and a number of works have been composed especially for her. She is frequently engaged by the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra with whom she has given concerts worldwide. MORE INFORMATION
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2L50SABD ~ DIVERTIMENTI - TrondheimSolistene ~ Benjamin Britten: Simple Symphony - Grazyna Bacewicz: Concerto for String Orchestra - Terje Bjørklund: Carmina - Béla Bartók: Divertimento for Strings
The divertimento as a musical genre dates back to the nineteenth century. Divertimenti were composed for various social occasions and were intended to be light, uncomplicated and cheerful. Such pieces were often scored for small string ensemble. Over the years this effortless, elegant form has appeared in many different musical styles and, to a large extent, set the standard for the virtuosic chamber music we know today. A number of the most prominent composers of our age have engaged with this most fascinating musical style and have contributed to its further refinement as a chamber-symphonic showpiece. 2009 Nominated for 3 Grammy Awards - Best Surround Sound Recording - Best Classical Engineering - Best Small Ensemble Recording MORE INFORMATION
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2L49SACD ~ MIRROR CANON - Tor Espen Aspaas, PIANO ~ Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonate Nr. 32 c-moll, op. 111 - Arnold Schönberg: Sechs kleine Klavierstücke, op. 19 - Anton Webern: Vier Stücke für Geige und Klavier, op. 7 - Alban Berg: Sonate für Klavier, op. 1.
The First and Second Viennese Schools and their associated cultural environments constitute a fascinating, enigmatic musical terrain of strong mutual relationships. This recording seeks to explore points of tension between the two epochs by contrasting four central compositions - masterpieces which constantly inform our perception of what music is and what music can be. Two canons, mirrored in their own reflection. MORE INFORMATION
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2L48SACD ~ Ola Gjeilo: Stone Rose ~ Ola Gjeilo, piano - Johannes Martens, cello - Tom Barber, flugelhorn - David Coucheron, violin
This reflective, tuneful album is a collection of beautiful piano music written and performed by Ola Gjeilo. His music is a blend of jazz, classical and popular music influences, married in a unique and passionate style. The evocative melodies and harmonies of Stone Rose are sure to captivate listeners from the first hearing. Many of the tracks are expressions of Ola's deep love for New York City, where he lives and maintains his highly successful career as a composer and pianist. Stone Rose is Ola's first solo album, eagerly awaited across the world by audiences who have fallen in love with his expressive compositions and serenely beautiful playing. MORE INFORMATION
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2L47SACD ~ SOLO + ~ Stig Nilsson & Anders Kjellberg Nilsson.
Violinist Stig Nilsson presents a selection of six contemporary Norwegian works from his extensive repertoire. Throughout his long career as concertmaster of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, and as a much sought-after soloist and ensemble partner - and not least as a source of inspiration to a great many colleagues and composers - Stig Nilsson has contributed perhaps more than any other to putting Norwegian composers on the map. Numerous works have been dedicated to him over the years; some of them even for two violins. Hear him in solo performances and together with his son, Anders Kjellberg Nilsson. MORE INFORMATION
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2L46SACD ~ Slåttar på tunga ~ Berit Opheim Versto
Slåttetralling is the Norwegian folk singer's way to present the instrumental music. When the dancers couldn't find a fiddle player, they used a singer. By imitating the fiddle and using improvised nonsense "words", the singer creates variations and a spectre of colours in the melodies. This way of using the voice is based on tradition documented in old archive recordings. The tunes have also been passed on orally in personal encounters from generation to generation. Berit Opheim Versto brings the tradition to life in a modern soundscape.
Berit Opheim Versto from Voss is one of Norway's foremost folk singers. She is a very versatile singer, frequently performing across genre boundaries, drawing inspiration from such diverse areas as traditional music, early music, improvisation and contemporary music. MORE INFORMATION
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2L45SACD ~ GREX VOCALIS, Carl Høgset ~ Magnus Staveland
Edvard Grieg's vocal output is rich, wide-ranging - and heterogeneous. He seems to have felt equally at home in any kind of writing technique, his oeuvre consisting of anything from small children's songs and burlesque folkloristic compositions on anonymous texts to grand-scale religious works and dramatic song cycles based on poetry by internationally outstanding Norwegian poets. GREX VOCALIS conducted by Carl Høgset takes us on a journey to Grieg's musical treasures. With Magnus Staveland as tenor soloist we venture into the Heav'n with Four Hymns after having explored the joys and sorrows of life in Children's Songs and Album for Male Voices. En route we are also presented the evergreen songs Last Spring and Ave, Maris Stella. MORE INFORMATION
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2L44SACD ~ Morten Gaathaug - Music da camera: String Quartet no. 2 - Six Songs to Poems by Jens Bjørneboe - Quintet for Piano and Strings ~ ENSEMBLE BJØRVIKA / Tore Dingstad / Per Andreas Tønder / Ellen Ugelvik
The composer Morten Gaathaug's music evokes images of all the many facets of Nature and Life. He is inspired by the exuberant magic of birds and has created a fascinating musical language of what normally would be considered natural contradictions: strains of romantics as well as modernism, clear-cut motifs and witty melodies are allowed to co-exist in this intriguing musical landscape. Chamber Music has a special position in Morten Gaathaug's musical universe - join in for a treat of great works for small ensembles. MORE INFORMATION
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2L43SACD ~ EXAUDIAM EUM - Gregorian Chant for Lent and Holy Week ~ Consortium Vocale Oslo - Alexander M. Schweitzer
Gregorian chant, in its all-embracing spirituality and poetry, appeals to the deeper levels of the human heart. Monks in the Middle Ages composed and performed this music as an integrated part of their daily occupation with Sacred Scripture. Throughout the centuries Gregorian chant has enriched and deepened the liturgy of the church, and has been a source of inspiration in every period of European music history. Under the leadership of Alexander M. Schweitzer Consortium Vocale presents chants from the five Sundays of Lent, Palm Sunday and Good Friday, recorded in the medieval church at Ringsaker in Norway. MORE INFORMATION
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2L42SACD ~ SØLVGUTTENE / Bødtker / Nordstoga ~ JULEMESSE - Missa in nativitate Domini
Missa in nativitate Domini is a new and exiting celebration of Christmas, and definitely Sølvguttene's most unique Christmas album to date. The album is a Christmas Mass, with all its regular parts, in addition to traditional Christmas carols. What makes this recording special is that we have chosen to sing chants from various composers, while it's normal to sing a whole mass from the same composer. We wanted to reveal how different composers from different periods of time have interpreted the same words. The music covers a range of over 1000 years, from Benedictus which is from the 10th century to Kjell Mørk Karlsen's and Wolfgang Plagge's compositions from our time. MORE INFORMATION
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2L41SACD ~ Steffen Horn - KONSERT ~ Dusik, Rachmaninov, Grieg and Prokofiev
This recording was made during my recent Norwegian tour and represents my most personal repertoire programme to date. It has been a great pleasure, and very refreshing, to get the opportunity to put together a repertoire of music which simply means a great deal to me, and which I was extremely eager to perform on stage. The Czech Republic, Norway and Russia form a European triangle. Each country displays its own unique style, but they have one thing in common: a heavy folkloristic influence, especially during the romantic era. Besides the fact that I am half Czech, this may well be what attracts me so strongly to the music of these three countries. I find their music highly expressive and heartfelt. - Steffen Horn MORE INFORMATION
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2L40SACD ~ Klaviersonaten von Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) mit frei hinzukomponierter Begleitung eines zweiten Klaviers von Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) ~ Dena Piano Duo
During the winter of 1876/77 Edvard Grieg arranged four of Mozart's nineteen piano sonatas for two pianos by adding his own, newley composed part. What is special about Grieg's adaptations of the Mozart sonatas is that he has not reworked them in the traditional - and perhaps derogatory - manner. Grieg's unusual achievement lies in the fact that he has retained Mozart's text unchanged, adding an entirely new part which can be performed together with the original. When both parts are played, they become something entirely new. Two different musical styles meet in dialogue, ending up in a symbiosis of colour and texture. Dena piano duo is the young Norwegian pianist Tina Margareta Nilssen and her former professor at the Universität der Künste in Berlin, Heide Görtz. MORE INFORMATION
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2L39SACD ~ CIKADA DUO ~ Nordheim
Since 1960 the composer Arne Nordheim has enchanted both musicians and audience with a unique soundscape. His music may be considered a source to the later Nordic Sound of electronica. Today's DJs might not willingly announce "Grandfather taught me this", but that's actually the case! CIKADA DUO is Kenneth Karlsson (piano/synthesizer) and Bjørn Rabben (percussion). They are joined by Åke Parmerud (elektronics) and Elisabeth Holmertz (soprano) in this production of Arne Nordheim's music. Take the stand within the percussion and let yourself be embraced by electronica, vocal and synthesizers in an extreme surround sound recording, as originally intended by the composer. MORE INFORMATION
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2L38SACD ~ MOZART: Violin Concertos ~ Marianne Thorsen / TrondheimSolistene
With this recording we wish to present a fresh version of the most elegant violin concertos in the history of music. While respecting the origin and tradition of this music, we have sought a new and dynamic musical experience rooted in our present time. To us, Mozart is as solid as rock, as soft as snow, and as clear as ice; this recording embraces the listener in a sonic world that invites to participate actively in the experience, in close and mutual interaction with the soloist and the orchestra. Only in this way can we genuinely express our love of Mozart's music.
2008: Declared "Record to Die For" by STEREOPHILE! MORE INFORMATION
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2L37SACD ~ MARE ~ Aurora Quartet
Beginning in the music circles of the aristocracy of the 19th century, music for 4 pianists has been highly popular. It is well known that Chopin and Liszt used to perform together with colleagues music for eight hands, as they did, for example, in 1838 in Rouen playing such a transcription of Beethoven's 8th symphony. Since that time, numerous ambitious and brilliant original compositions for four pianists have been created of which the Norwegian works by Bjørn Kruse, Trygve Madsen and Wolfgang Plagge are among the most outstanding. The Aurora Quartett is a renowned international ensemble of pianists that is dedicated especially to the performance of music for four pianists. MORE INFORMATION
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2L36SACD ~ Sigurd Islandsmoen: REQUIEM ~ Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra - The Norwegian Soloists' Choir - conducted by Terje Boye Hansen
Sigurd Islandsmoen's REQUIEM for soloists, choir and orchestra is a unique flower in the Norwegian music flora. Throughout the 1940s and 50s the work enjoyed huge success both in Norway and abroad thanks to its beautiful and accessible latin and folk music based musical language. And then, mysteriously, the music disappeared and the work was buried in the dust of oblivion for several decades. But now it has been revived and restored to its former glory, a source of inspiration to future generations. MORE INFORMATION
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2L35SACD ~ CONCERTOS & FAIRYTALES: Trombone concertos by Plagge, Hovland, Amdahl and Aagaard-Nilsen ~ PK Svensen, trombone - Malmö Symfoniorkester
"I found! I found!" says Askeladden, the hero of countless Norwegian folk tales as he picks up numerous strange and seemingly worthless objects from the road, objects everybody else would go by without noticing. Askeladden possesses this uncanny creative intuition which outwits any sinister force, and helps him in his quest to achieve his aims - most frequently being marrying the Princess and ruling half the Kingdom. The Askeladden creativity has been the underlying power source when one of Norway's most prominent trombonists, PK Svensen. MORE INFORMATION
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2L34SACD ~ Richard Strauss & George Enescu Violin Sonatas ~ Kolbjørn Holthe, violin - Tor Espen Aspaas, piano
Richard Strauss' first and only sonata for violin and piano and George Enescu's third, the former as radiant, heroic and sublime as the latter is dark, melancholy and feverish; it is in their transcendent qualities that the two sonatas are related. Both works signify an important milestone in their respective creators' development as composers; they also constitute milestones in our own development as instrumentalists, both individually and as a duo. MORE INFORMATION
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2L33SACD ~ TRYGVE MADSEN - 24 PRELUDES & FUGUES ~ Jens Harald Bratlie PIANO
TRYGVE MADSEN's music is friendly, full of humour, beautiful, elegant and capable of establishing a direct link to the listeners heart!
What is new in Trygve Madsen's Preludes & Fugues compared with Shostakovich's? Apart from the indefinable element of musical personality Madsen's music is influenced by twentieth century jazz and evergreens as much as it is by Bach. MORE INFORMATION
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2L32SACD ~ JULEVARIASJONER - CHRISTMAS VARIATIONS ~ Wolfgang Plagge
The Inspiration of the Moment is of fundamental significance to any type of connection between human beings, in music as well as in speech. All tracks on this cd are results of spontaneously improvised variations over Christmas' most beloved songs and tunes. MORE INFORMATION
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2L31SACD ~ Over the Hills - and Far Away ~ Kristiansand Blåseensemble conducted by Bjørn Sagstad
MARCHES - Cymbal crashes, screeching clarinets and harsh trombones. But a march comes in many colours - and not necessarily one to be marched to! MORE INFORMATION
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2L30SACD ~ Volume II of the Wieniawski CD series ~ Piotr Janowski & Wolfgang Plagge
Volume II of the 2L Wieniawski CD series features some sensational works: The legendary Polish violin virtuoso and composer Henryk Wieniawski also had an equally gifted brother, Josef. Together they composed astonishing music, recorded here on CD for the first time ever. Also meet the urbane as well as the exotic Henryk Wieniawski in well-known and unknown original settings, brilliantly performed by the Wieniawski specialist duo Janowski/Plagge. MORE INFORMATION
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2L29SACD ~ Immortal NYSTEDT [1915 - ] ~ Surrounded by the Wonders of Creation ~ Ensemble 96 conducted by Øystein Fevang
The beginning of the universe and the drama at Golgotha; medieval music and German baroque; the writings of Søren Kierkegaard - and a child's baptism in Oslo in 1987. Knut Nystedt draws his inspiration from all ages, creating his monumental choral art with a Christian perspective and wide, humanistic appeal.
GRAMMY-nominated 2006 - Best Surround Sound Album & Best Choral Performance MORE INFORMATION
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2L28SACD ~ BÉLA BARTÓK - SONATA for solo violin - SONATA 2 for violin and piano - CONTRASTS for violin, clarinet and piano ~ Annar Follesø, violin - Björn Nyman, clarinet - Christian Ihle Hadland, piano
Bartók's music receives red-blooded, totally committed performances by three of Scandinavia's most gifted musicians on a disc ranging from the striking modernism of the Second Violin Sonata, via the jazz flirtation of Contrasts to the magisterial Bach homage of the Sonata for Solo Violin. MORE INFORMATION
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2L27 ~ Sigurd Lie [1871-1904] ~ Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Terje Boye Hansen - Frode Olsen, bassbaritone - Terje Tønnesen, violin
Sigurd Lie is best known for his gem of a song, Sne (Snow). But what of the rest of his output, does that merit attention? Indeed it does; Sigurd Lie's music sounds fresh and highly original, a continuing enrichment of our musical world - when we are given the opportunity to hear it. MORE INFORMATION
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2L26SACD ~ MAGNUM MYSTERIUM ~ Grex Vocalis conducted by Carl Høgset
Regardless of how one might choose to celebrate Christmas today, we believe that this music can contribute atmosphere, light and hope at the darkest time of the year. Grex Vocalis have brought together some of the most beautiful Christmas music for a cappella choir. MORE INFORMATION
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2L25 ~ CEROS ~ Frøydis Ree Wekre ~ Works by Madsen, Berge, Plagge, Kvandal and Clearfield
Frøydis Ree Wekre - few instrumentalists have like her achieved to put Norway on the musical World map. Through a long and distinguished career as one of the world's leading horn players, as a professor and celebrated cultural personality; her work has been of tremendous value to the art of horn playing and its repertoire of contemporary music. Her distinctive tone and communicative abilities have captured audiences and composers all over the world. MORE INFORMATION
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2L24 ~ Berit Opheim, vocal - Nils Økland, fiddle and hardangerfiddle - Bjørn Kjellemyr, double bass
BNB - ein song frå dei utsungne stunder Are you prepared to let yourself be touched - to face a real timeout? Do you dare to listen - inside yourself, and discover something beautiful - something you have been longing for without knowing it? Then this recording is for you - life will turn out different after BNB… MORE INFORMATION
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2L23 ~ Drufiacc® ~ FLUKT ~ Sturla Eide, fiddle / hardangerfiddle - Øivind Farmen, accordion - Håvard Sterten, percussion
extracted from rhythms of blues and Nordic tunes with a classical scent - FLUKT
WARNING Drums, fiddle and accordion may cause severe addiction! MORE INFORMATION
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2L22 ~ SUSTAINED ~ Steffen Horn piano
Piano Music between Romantic and Impressionism - performed by the superb sonority artist Steffen Horn - a sustained journey in time and space. From the great visions of Chopin in his Ballade no.4 through the caressing waves of Faure's Barcarolles to the exotic world of Debussy's Estampes; Steffen Horn leads his listeners through some of the most beautiful landscapes Music has to offer. MORE INFORMATION
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2L21 ~ PROKOFIEV sonatas ~ Steffen Horn piano
Sergei Prokofiev created his vivid music in a century marred by war and death. The two piano sonatas on this recording were written during two world wars; still they radiate belief in life as a creative power. Pianist Steffen Horn here gives a compelling account of historical events. MORE INFORMATION
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2L20 ~ CALLS ~ Kjell-Erik Arnesen horn / Jørgen Larsen piano
The Horn has always been one of the brass instrument family's most fascinating members due to its sweet, yet full timbre. For centuries it has seen service as a signal horn, a post horn and as a musical instrument, but the development of the Valve Horn during the 1st half of the 19th century really placed the Horn in the forefront among solo instruments. Robert Schumann was among the first to acknowledge the full potential of the new instrument, and on this recording he and four colleagues speak to us with the electrifying and calling voice of the Horn. MORE INFORMATION
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2L19 ~ Dolcissimo sospiro ~ Tone Wik
Dolcissimo sospiro is baroque in the use of "clair obscur", a technique also employed in painting and sculpture of the early baroque era. Love and joy are juxtaposed with pain and death, and the “sweetest sighs” of the title are ones of hope and despair. We are in early 17th century Italy. Composers such as Caccini, Monteverdi, Merula and d'India have all written music to the poetry of, among others, Ottavio Rinuccini. And Ron Ford's composition Rinuccini connects it with our time. MORE INFORMATION
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2L18 ~ Gustav MAHLER Bruno WALTER ~ Christian Hilz, baritone - Katia Bouscarrut, piano
Bruno Walter was Gustav Mahler's earliest, closest and - many would say - most authentic interpreter. This recording opens the door into another, unknown world - that of Walter's own creative life as a composer, revealing at once his indebtedness to Mahler, but at the same time his own powerful and distinctive voice, too long hidden in the shadow of his mentor. MORE INFORMATION
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2L17 ~ Sturla | Andreas ~ GLIMMER
As the notes from Sturla Eide's fiddle and Andreas Aase's guitar soar towards the ceiling of the Sofienberg church in Oslo, different thoughts and emotions are unleashed. Every single melody in Norwegian traditional music is saturated by rhythm, simply because the tunes had to be danceable by themselves a long time ago - the melody is in the rhythm, the rhythm is in the melody. So when Andreas' guitar and occasional bouzouki is added to Sturla's fiddle and hardanger fiddle playing, it is done in a thoughtful and gentle way. MORE INFORMATION
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2L16 ~ Johan Halvorsen (1864-1935) ~ chamber music
The influence of the theater on the life of composer, violinist and conductor Johan Halvorsen (1864-1935) dates as far back as his youth. During his time as musical director for Norway's two most important theatrical stages he composed music for over thirty different plays.
The unusually visual nature of his music left so strong an imprint upon his contemporaries, that he was presented with a violin of exceptional quality and value by a Russian patron. On this recording, two of Norway's foremost musicians allow us to become acquainted with Johan Halvorsen's chamber music - on the composer's own instrument.
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2L15 ~ Over Stok og Steen
The ensemble "Over Stok og Steen" (over hill and dale) have specialized in folk music from Hedemarken, the flatland villages east of the lake Mjøsa. The musical traditions of this region are wide-ranging in their history, form, and expression, something we have wished to take into account on the present recording. You will hear minuets from the 18th century, the peasant's polka, the farmer's fandango and the ballad singer's wistful love songs. With all respect for the folk music traditions of Hedemarken, we have adapted the melodies in our own way. The recording is an homage to composers, village fiddlers, ballad singers, farmers and peasants - to all and sundry!
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2L14 ~ … in circles ~ Annar Folles - violin - Helge Kjekshus piano
These compositions circle each other like planets in a binary star system and form an aesthetic as well as an epic union: one gives where the other takes, one is tacit where the other speaks. In fact, all the inner and outer processes are distinguished by contrasts. The tension between the old and the new is additionally re-inforced through the use of extremely archaic as well as modernistic instrumental means. Composer Wolfgang Plagge here takes on the challenge of treading two apparently very dissimilar circles - only to discover that they are tightly connected, like links in a chain.
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2L13 ~ GLOW ~ Marri Eggen | Helene Haye
For centuries, Norway's dark winter days and luminous summer nights have inspired the diverse forms of creativity of its folk artists. Troll lore and nature mysticism spring from the interplay of light and darkness on the fertile imagination, and light in its many manifestations has always been a central element of Norwegian painting and music. An intense dark glow
permeates the music presented on this CD by two distinguished artists. In their tightly arranged renderings the vigor and poetic feeling of the folk music tradition is fused with a bold and skillful use of polyphonic texture, bearing witness to the power inherent in a living tradition.
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2L12 ~ Halldor Meland (1884-1972) ~ trio HARDANGER
This CD presents interpretations of Norwegian folk tunes in the manner of the legendary fiddle player Halldor Meland (1884-1972), performed by three of Norway's most accomplished soloists on the hardanger fiddle. As an ensemble, the members of trio HARDANGER draw a kind of energy from one another that infuses their playing with new vitality. But above all they stand forth as soloists, with a spontaneity, vigor and inner verve that lives on inside the listener. All three have been inspired here by the dynamic, boundless and uncompromising spirit of the older master.
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2L11 ~ Majorstuen
In between the worlds of folklore and classical, where pulsating energetic monody meets the polyphonic, polytonal and rhythmically intricate melody we encounter the Norwegian group "Majorstuen". This young and creative ensemble succeeds in utilising the totality of artistic ingredients within the Norwegian musical heritage, thus producing breathtaking new perspectives. We get it all: From melancholic inspired fiddle-tunes, good-natured folk dance parodies to astonishingly pointed and vital new compositions.
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2L10 ~ frå folk te' folk ~ Knut Kjøk and Dag Gården
Folkloristic traditions are based on the transmission of music from generation to generation. But this does not at all imply that folk music has to be static and forever unchangeable - musicians like Knut Kjøk and Dag Gården lend the term Tradition itself an entirely new meaning, as they pay equally respect to creativity and fantasy as well as re-creation and faithfulness to their musical sources. As a result an extraordinarily sincere, honest and fascinating music emerges; right through candid, truly original and refreshingly new - from people to people!
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2L9 ~ ARS NOVA part III ~ Wolfgang Plagge
More than 700 years lay between text and music in this version of the Norse epic poem "Liknarbraut". An anonymous skald wrote down his innermost thoughts about the Cross in a strong and sonorous "dråpa", entirely in the tradition of the pre-Christian Viking skalds. The poem is full of fascinating and mythical images that speak with an astonishing amount of authority to modern man as well. Wolfgang Plagge's choral setting bridges the centuries and lends depth to the medieval poetic thoughts. The musical expression ranges from the faintest Pianissimo to cascades of explosive energy, and forms an acoustic impression of Time itself - ARS NOVA part III - a modern reflection.
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2L8 ~ Spill ~ FLUKT
The Norwegian group "FLUKT" (soaring) lends Music wings! The players literally radiate true musicianship, an energetic intensity and a spirit of sorts, which gives the listener a hard time sitting still. Their Music resembles a good game of chess, where elements of surprise and unconventional imaginative abilities beat the conventional and sturdy. The inspirational sources are many; Scandinavian as well as Gaelic folk Music, religious tunes and specially written compositions form a vital and living totality with a strong and personal identity. Enjoy this soaring musical experience and fly over familiar and unknown lands!
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2L7 ~ Beethoven Sonatas
"Forced to live with a permanent physical disorder, born with a fiery temperament, I had to isolate myself, live my life alone." The musical genius that lost his hearing never succumbed to fate. On the contrary - over and over again he managed to adjust to the shifting phases of his life and art. As a creative artist, Beethoven stood for constant renewal throughout his entire career, and he never hesitated from sharing his innermost feelings with his listeners. The three sonatas on this CD were created in three different phases - meet the young, the struggling and the mature Beethoven in an intense and lucid performance. "I will fly at fate and attack it - it will never succeed in striking me to the ground!"
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2L6 ~ ARS NOVA part II ~ Wolfgang Plagge - The Legacy
ARS NOVA - the New Art - a term commonly used to describe European music of the 14th century A.D. During this period, Music soars to new heights of freedom and invention - still, the medieval legacy is not being forgotten. The Old perishes - but nourishes and feeds the New. This cosmic principle applies to every level of our existence, from physics and chemistry to art, literature, history and religion. Music, as the language of the Soul, is also bound to this eternal principle. This is especially evident in the connection between folklore and its inspirational sources: New art forms constantly develop under the influence of older forms.
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2L5 ~ ARS NOVA part I ~ Wolfgang Plagge - The Medieval Inspiration
What happens when a massive star dies? In a cataclysmic explosion it hurls enormous amounts of star matter into the Universe and becomes a Nova. But this matter contains essential building blocks for the creation of new stars and planets; so the old star contributes to the giving of new life. When Reformation reached Norway in 1536 A.D., virtually all of the ancient Gregorian tradition was annihilated. Still Norwegian music of today, folk music as well as work of art, contains lots of traces from the influence of medieval music. Discover what happens when the Middle Ages speak through the heart of a contemporary composer. - ARS NOVA.
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2L4 ~ Bortover all vei … ~ Tron Steffen Westberg
The magic of a true Norwegian "spellemann" (fiddler) has seldom been presented in a more convincing way. Tron Steffen Westberg throws the spell of generations on every listener who dares to come close enough, and he demonstrates the rhythmical and emotional powers of traditional Norwegian folk music to the very limit. In old times it sometimes happened that fiddlers could become so consumed by their own playing that they frightened their audiences out of their wits. In such cases the fiddle had to be taken away from the performers by force! Westberg has got that same power in his playing, but no one should ever be allowed to take the instrument away from him!
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2L3 ~ Vintermåne
The magnificent steel blue of a Winter Moon - an eerie warm light on the cold snow. This is the inspirational background for the musicians in the young Norwegian group “Vintermåne”. A fascinating landscape based on tradition and innovation is being brought to life through folk music with potent elements of jazz and pop. The specific Norwegian folk tradition of creative musical performance is here being presented to the listener in an entirely new and fertile light - and the old tunes evidently seem to prosper in their new surroundings.
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2L2 ~ Henryk Wieniawski ~ Piotr Janowski
During a recital in Christiania in June 1876 Henryk Wieniawski performed Grieg's Sonata in F with Edvard Grieg himself playing the piano part. After the performance Grieg wrote to a friend: During my concerts, the audience normally sits around yawning and snoring, but yesterday, when I played with Mr. Wieniawski, everybody seemingly wanted to tear down the house in ecstasy! We hope that you will catch a fragment of the same atmosphere when Piotr Janowski in this recording interprets Wieniawski's own repertoire …
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2L1 ~ Melannkoli ~ Kodàly • Dowland • Britten • Pärt • Joplin • Kvandal • Bloch • Liszt • Brahms
The warmth of wistfulness, a smile through tears, the veil of light rain, longing without name, alienation - musing over unanswerable questions. The age we live in calls for youthfulness, not heavy minds. Might it be that the spirit of our time is fleeing from itself? Is ours really an age of melancholy?
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