Rolf Gupta & Oslo filharmonien
PRE-ORDER: This item will be shipped with the aim to deliver on release day.
Release Date: 16 October 2026
Label: Simax
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 7033662013883
Genres: Classical
Composer/Series: Jordens sang
Description
One of the most significant Norwegian choral and orchestral works of recent years, Rolf Gupta's award-winning masterpiece Song of the Earth (Jordens sang), is finally being released on CD. With Song of the Earth, composer and conductor Rolf Gupta returns to composition after 25 years marked by artistic self-censorship. The result was a work that received outstanding critical acclaim, was awarded the Norwegian Critics' Prize, received the Norwegian Society of Composers' prestigious "Work of the Year" award, and deeply moved audiences in performances in Oslo, Trondheim, and Kristiansand.
Song of the Earth is a monumental work for soloists, mixed choir, children's choir, and orchestra. Across six movements, Gupta explores creation, destruction, hope, and reconciliation in a musical universe where Western classical music meets Indian musical traditions. The work unfolds from near-total silence and primordial sound to a concluding epilogue built around an extended C major sonority, opening a space for contemplation and peace.
The libretto draws inspiration from sources including the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Book of Genesis, Friedrich Schiller, and Gustav Mahler. At the same time, the work is deeply rooted in the present day, reflecting on war, environmental crisis, and human coexistence.
Featured performers on the recording include the Norwegian Soloists' Choir (Det Norske Solistkor), Solistkoret Ung, Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir, Trefoldighet Girls' Choir, and the Children's Chorus of the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet, conducted by Peter Szilvay, with soloists Caroline Wettergreen, Julian Borchgrevink Naess, and Inga Lohne-Otterstad.
Tracklisting
Ketil Bjornstad & Sandra Lied Haga
Rolf Gupta & Oslo filharmonien
Leif Ove Andsnes
Lars Anders Tomter / 1B1
Ensemble 96, Nina T. Karlsen & Vox Clamantis
Jonas Batstrand, Jorn Fossheim
Tone Kummervold
Per Kristian Skalstad, Telemark Chamber Orchestra
Rolf Gupta & Oslo filharmonien
Ketil Bjornstad & Sandra Lied Haga
Vox Urbane
Sophie Dervaux, La Folia Barockorchester
Sergio Vartolo
Robert Plane (clarinet); Elias String Quaret, Gould Piano Trio; James Gilchrist (tenor); Tim Horton
Nordic Affect/Marco Casonato/Massimo Marchese/La Spagna baroque orchestra/Alejandro Marias
Michael Foyle, Iain Burnside
