Oslo Cathedral Choir, Nils Henrik Asheim, Kare Nordstoga
Description
The process behind this work originates from when Oslo Cathedral commissioned a largescaled work by Nils Henrik Asheim for the inauguration of the church's new main pipe organ in 1998.
The composer suggested including a choir to create a cycle of texts from the Book of Psalms, and the Oslo Cathedral Choir were more than willing to participate, with their dedication to the piece being integral to the work's development.
Organ builders Ryde & Berg made both the main organ (with 53 voices) and the choir organ (16 voices), with the combination of the two becoming central to the concept of the work. The two instruments bathe the room in an immersive soundscape, with the choir representing the voice inside this.
The composer himself chose a selection of lines taken from 21 hymns, with the view to creating a holistic narrative through use of contrasts. Five "Allelujah" movements for organ complete each of the sections of the work.
In the 1998 version, these were improvised movements for solo organ, but in the revised version from 2019 the movements were re-composed as organ duos.
The titles of these five movements are taken from Psalm 150, v.1–3.
Tracklisting
Oda Voltersvik
Lars Notto Birkeland, Forsvarets Stabsmusikkorps, Peter Szilway, Eirik Raude
Nils Anders Mortensen
Engegard Quartet
Christian Ihle Hadland
Ditte and Hans Christian Braein
Royal Norwegian Navy Band, The Norwegian National Opera Chorus, Bjarte Engeset
Alexandra Silocea
Vox Clamantis; Ene Salumae; Jaan-Eik Tulve
The Choir of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge; Academy of Ancient Music; Matthew Martin
Mari Eriksmoen; Kristina Hammarstrom; Mark Milhofer; Christian Senn; Zurcher Sing-Akademie; Kammero
Jean-Baptiste Nicolas; Consort Musica Vera; Choeur de l'Opera Royal; Choeur de la Maitrise du CRR d
Carlotta Colombo; Coro e Orchestra Ghislieri; Giulio Prandi
Alexander Boldachev
The Sixteen; Harry Christophers
The Choir of Royal Holloway; Andrew Dewar; Rupert Gough
