Benedictce Maurseth, Berit Opheim, Rolf Lislevand & Hakon
Release Date: 26 October 2018
Label: Heilo
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 7033662073290
Genres: Folk Contemporary Folk
Description
The work Tidekverv presents new vocal and instrumental folk music composed for, and dedicated to, the sun's four important days: the vernal equinox, the summer solstice, the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice.
Two of Norway's most prominent folk musicians created this distinctive work. Berit Opheim is one of the country's foremost folk singers and has in the past few years performed on stages in Norway, Europe and Asia as a member of Trio Mediæval and as a soloist. Benedicte Maurseth specialises in the traditional music of Hardanger. She is also a composer and writer and has collaborated with poets and stage artists. She has released several recordings on the Heilo and ECM labels.
The work Tidekverv was inspired by the medieval visionary poem "Draumkvedet", both as a form of poetry and as type of musical ritual, as the ballad was mainly performed on the 13th day of Christmas every year. The two composers wanted to pay homage to an older form of poetry, the Nordic ballad, by writing new folk music, and they perform the work primarily in the periods of the equinoxes and solstices. The melodic material was composed by Opheim and Maurseth but was adapted and arranged with the valuable help and enthusiasm of their musical colleagues: lutenist Rolf Lislevand and percussionist Hakon Morch Stene.
The work was composed using the traditional style, tonalities and form of folk music, but has also clearly been inspired by elements of baroque, contemporary and improvisational music. The lyrics were written in two-line and four-line ballad stanza forms, with a refrain.
Tidekverv had its world premiere on the vernal equinox, 20 March 2017, in Gamle Aker Church at the Oslo International Church Music Festival. Since then it has been presented several times in connection with the equinoxes and solstices. The album was recorded at Jar Church in Oslo, taking advantage of its superb acoustics, and was produced by Hakon Morch Stene.
Tracklisting
Hoven Droven
Ferd
Lillebjorn Nilsen & Andy Irvine
Sarah-Jane Summers & Juhani Silvola
String Sisters
Gjermund Larsen Trio
Thomas Eriksson, Helga Myhr, Anna Malmstrom
Vegar Vardal & Asmund Reistad
