Uranienborg Vokalensemble, Elisabeth Holte - Himmelrand (2016) [Official Digital Download - DXD 24/352]

Norway's 2L label has gained a following with releases that are distinctive in two ways: the programs they present tend to be rooted in folk and traditional music to an unusual degree, and they are recorded with well-beyond-the-norm audio fidelity. The Grammy-nominated Himmelrand (the word means "horizon" and is taken from one of the hymns included) may seem esoteric, and it is good to see a 2L product gaining such major recognition.

The Church of Norway's new Hymnal came into use in 2013. Its goal is twofold: to hold on to traditions from earlier hymnals and to bring in something new, with texts in a modern idiom and with new melodies and new harmonic ideas. The texts of Nordic hymns belong to a shared Scandinavian heritage. They deal with sorrow and joy, faith and doubt, and express in words some of life's most painful events. There is nothing static about the hymn tradition; on the contrary, it is constantly evolving and continues to be interpreted by our contemporary composers, hymnographers and performers. This is precisely where the strength of the hymn tradition lies. An old hymn in a fresh musical setting loses none of its power; it simply undergoes a change – sometimes small, sometimes more substantial – to its character.

In this recording there are also three newly composed arrangements by the Norwegian composers Marianne Reidarsdatter Eriksen, Ola Gjeilo and Ørjan Matre. The hymns are sung by Uranienborg Vokalensemble, conducted by Elisabeth Holte, with Inger-Lise Ulsrud on the organ.

Many of 2L's previous award nominations have come in engineering categories, but this one was for Best Choral Performance, and indeed the singing of the Uranienborg Vokalensemble is gorgeous, with an almost preternatural sense of the qualities of the Norwegian church in which the music was recorded. The engineering is impressive as usual, and an included Blu-ray disc contributes to the unusual sense of actually being there. But it's the music itself that astounds, especially in view of the fact that the basic description of the contents – the choir offers music from a revised Norwegian hymnal – sounds almost stodgy. It most certainly is not stodgy. The choir and director Elisabeth Holte offer sensuously beautiful renditions of traditional hymns, plus some innovative modern pieces and some really novel arrangements. Sample Aage Samuelsen's O Jesus, du som fyller alt i alle (O Jesus, you who fill to overflowing), which has an interesting history covered in the detailed booklet. The hymn is presented in an arrangement with haunting soprano-and-alto counterpoint into which a six-part choir joins with commentary. It's not quite like anything you've ever heard before, and there's something new around every corner of the program. If you think you don't want to hear a new collection of Norwegian hymns, think again.

Tracklist:

01 - Jerusalem, Jerusalem - orgelimprovisasjon
02 - Jerusalem, Jerusalem
03 - Med Jesus vil eg fara
04 - Kom regn. Kom fred. Kom trøst: 1. Kom regn
05 - Kom regn. Kom fred. Kom trøst: 2. Kom fred
06 - Kom regn. Kom fred. Kom trøst: 3. Kom trøst
07 - Kvar er du, Gud? Kvar finn vi deg?
08 - Gud, la vårt hovmod briste - orgelimprovisasjon
09 - Gud, la vårt hovmod briste
10 - Ja, vi elsker dette landet (arr. Rasmus Thaarup)
11 - O Jesus, du som fyller alt i alle
12 - Se, solens skjønne lys og prakt
13 - Der sola renn i himmelrand
14 - Solrenning sæle - orgelimprovisasjon
15 - Solrenning sæle
16 - Dypt heller året
17 - I dine hender, Fader blid

Musicians:
Uranienborg Vokalensemble
Inger-Lise Ulsrud - organ
Elisabeth Holte - conductor

Produced in DXD (Digital eXtreme Definition 352kHz/24bit) by Lindberg Lyd.
Recoreded in October 2015 at Uranienborg Church, Norway.

Whereas the regular stereo mix is individually optimized for each piece of music – the organ or the choir, or the combination of the two – this holistic mix provides a unified perspective for the complete album experience, placing you as a listener in the middle of the church.

Thanks to the Original customer!