Kind: Ensemble 96 (2010) [Blu-ray]

This set is a recording of Scandinavian music for chamber choir, all dealing with children (“Kind” means “child” in Norwegian). One track, The Stolen Child, is for chamber choir and string quartet. The recording intersperses traditional folk-songs from Norway with more-or-less contemporary compositions by three Nordic composers.

This is a brief, yet profound disc of choral music, which combines, in counterpoint, alternating folk-songs and modern choral works. The music is, at times, joyous, and, at others haunting. Marcus Paus’s The Stolen Child, the only work with the string quartet, and the longest work on the disc, is perhaps the most impressive. In just over ten minutes, it presents a sound-world that is astounding and moving, with hints of medieval Norwegian music. The folk-songs, some of which are different versions of the same songs from different regions of Norway, have that timeless character of fine, traditional folk-music. Jaakko Mäntyjärvi’s Die Stimme des Kindes is a heartbreakingly sweet work. And the three songs by Per Norgård are oddly interesting works.

Recorded at Uranienborg Church, Norway January 2010 by Lindberg Lyd AS.

Треклист:
1. Sov. Sov. Liten Gut (folk song)
2. Die Stimme des Kindes (Jaakko Mantyjarvi (1963-))
3. Bansull (folk song from Osterdalen)
4. Wie ein Kind I - Wiigen-Lied (per Norgard (1932-))
5. Bia, Bia Lite Ban (folk song from Voss)
6. Wie ein Kind II - Fruhlings-Lied (per Norgard (1932-))
7. Bie, Bie Lite Ban (folk song from Telemark)
8. The Stolen Child (Marcus Paus (1979-))
9. Bansull fra Telemark (folk song)
10. Wie ein Kind III - Trauermarsch Mit Einem Unglucksfall (per Norgard (1932-))
11. BysJan, BysJan Lite Ban (folk song from Osterdalen)