Kom Regn (Come Rain)

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Cat No: LWC1134

Release Date: 17 November 2017

Label: Lawo

Packaging Type: Digipak

No of Units: 1

Barcode: 7090020181561

Genres: Classical Twentieth Century

Description
Kvindelige Studenters Sangforening (The Womens' Choral Society of the University of Oslo), although not being a name which automatically rolls off the tongue, is the world’s oldest academic female choir.

For this recording, it has sought out choral music for women by five male Norwegian composers — compositions that challenge and expand conceptions of Norway’s cultural heritage.

'Kom Regn', the title of this recording, translates as 'Come Rain' and is comprised of music by Valen, Nordheim, Hovlad, Nystedt and Kruse.

There is scarcely a trace of a mountain or fjord or traditional folk music on this recording, or of Grieg, Kjerulf and Nordraak. The gentlemen composers chose other routes to the concert hall, cathedral and the cultural canon.

One of them had as strong a faith in his uncompromising counterpoint as in the Almighty Creator, while sitting alone between the mountains and fjords of Western Norway. Another was a central figure of European contemporary music and musical life in the capital city, but his work was dismissed as “Pling-Plong” by Norwegian cultural conservatism’s self-appointed generals.

Fartein Valen, Arne Nordheim, Egil Hovland, Knut Nystedt and Bjørn Kruse, each in his own way and with either the Bible or world poetry in his inside pocket, created sounds that convey a different history of Norwegian music. Placed in women’s voices, they provide the possibility of entering worlds of sound, words and lines that for many remain undiscovered, unanticipated and unprecedented.

Kvindelige Studenters Sangforening/KSS) as well as being the oldest academic female choir in the world, is currently ranked as the world's best female choir (Interkultur 2017).

Although an old choir, it is one that has always surrounded itself with new music. At the time of its founding in 1895, choral life in Norway was distinguished chiefly by male choirs, and the choir’s earliest repertoire was often music for male choir. Works for female choir, in particular works of Norwegian origin, were in short supply.

Conductor Marit Tøndel Bodsberg Weyde (b. 1981) was born in Byneset, Sør-Trøndelag. She became permanent conductor of Kvindelige Studenters Sangforening/KSS in 2009, after having substituted as conductor from the autumn of 2008.

In the autumn of 2012 she was awarded the Conductor’s Prize for KSS’s performance at Norway’s national choral competition, and in 2015 she led KSS to victory in the European Choir Games and Grand Prix of Nations.
Tracklisting