Photo credit: Åsa Maria Mikkelsen
Yule
The celebration of Yule in Northern Europe harks back to a transition from ancient Pagan Germanic culture to the more formal spirituality of the newer Christian rite. Christmas, as we mostly now call it, gave us hymns, processions and chants, and in between, silence in church. Yule meant a vibrant pre-Christian secularity, with feasting and dancing, the noise of instruments and decorating the house with holly, ivy and mistletoe as a tribute to the gods of earth and air. The music in this concert dates from a time when in a throwback to Yule churches were decorated with Christmas greenery, and at home there would be carols sung round a burning Yule log, the two traditions side by side.
Join us for a program of Scandinavian traditional Christmas folk songs and hymns, English medieval Carols and two contemporary works written for Trio Mediæval.
The crystalline voices of Trio Mediæval have captivated audiences since the group was founded in Oslo in 1997. The Grammy-nominated trio’s core repertoire features sacred monophonic and polyphonic medieval music from England, Italy and France; contemporary works written for the ensemble; and traditional Norwegian, Swedish and Icelandic ballads and songs. The group’s fruitful relationship with the legendary ECM Records, collaborative spirit, and busy touring schedule has earned them worldwide renown.
“Singing doesn’t get more unnervingly beautiful. To hear the group’s note-perfect counterpoint – as pristine and inviting as clean, white linens – is to be astonished at what the human voice is capable of.” – Joshua Kosman, the San Francisco Chronicle
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Program:
Nowell: Owt of your slepe aryse and wake
Ecce, quod natura
Alleluia: A newë werk
15th century English carol
Veni, redemptor gentium / Världens frälsare kom här
Anonymous chant. Text Ambrosius d. 397 / Swedish traditional hymn. Melody as sung by Johan Viksten, Nuckö, Estonia. Arrangement by Trio Mediæval
Josefines julesalme
Traditional hymn from Vestfold, Norway, as sung by Josefine Gåsholt.
Arrangement by Tone Krohn
Coventry Carol
15th century English carol. Arrangement by Linn Andrea Fuglseth
Lussinatti lange
Traditional melody from Hordaland, Norway. Arrangement by Linn Andrea Fuglseth
Bereden väg för Herran
Swedish adaption of German folk song from 1673 / Traditional hymn melody from Boda, Dalarna, Sweden. Text by M. Franzén. Arrangement by Anna Maria Friman
Sol lucet (2022)
Marianne Reidarsdatter Eriksen (b. 1971)
Intermission
Ioseph fili David (2003)
Andrew Smith (b. 1970)
Hodie Christus natus est / There is no rose
Anonymous chant. Liber Usualis. / 15th century English carol. Arrangement Trio Mediæval
En jungfru födde ett barn idag
Swedish traditional hymn. Melody as sung by Katarina Utas, Gammalsvenskby, Ukraine
Arrangement by Anna Maria Friman
Lullay lullay
15th century English carol
En stjärna gick på himlen fram
Swedish traditional hymn. Melody as sung by Eva Sandsten, Nuckö, Estonia
Arrangement by Anna Maria Friman
Frå Betlehem eit gjetord gjeng
Traditional melody from Valdres, Norway. Text by M. B. Landstad, 19th century.
Arrangement by Linn Andrea Fuglseth
Det hev ei rosa sprunge
Melody from Köln, Germany 15th century after Michael Praetorius, 1609
Translation from German by Peter Hognestad 1919.
Arrangement by Linn Andrea Fuglseth
