New disc out on Hudson Records. "Angrusori", a collaboration between Slovak Roma musicians and Kitchen Orchestra, led by Iva Bittová and Nils Henrik Asheim.  Full release May 7 2021. Already acclaimed by critics:

"The result is a mesmerizing and moving glimpse of the soul of a secluded society, told through a musical fusion that foregrounds tradition: timeless songs of heartbreak, illness and poverty take centre stage, augmented by the subtlest of improvisatory gambits". (The Wire Magazine)

"I would say that within the framework of Angrusori a new, multi-layered aesthetics got life, [...] All in all, an amazing project that I sincerely recommend to all lovers of non-standard music." (Jazzquad, Russia)

"The result is a spontaneous and fascinating work. Lyrics and popular narratives blend with melancholy and unbridled rhythms. Significant." 5/5 (Il Manifesto, Italia)

"Brilliant musicianship, vocalists with soul, inventiveness, guts, courage, perfect balance between past and present." 6/6 (Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway)

 

Grader av hvitt (Degrees of white), a monodrama for speaking voice and orchestra, by Johan Harstad (text) and Nils Henrik Asheim (music). Laila Goody / Petronella Barker, The Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra / Christian Eggen.  Electronic sounds by Lasse Marhaug. Double CD (Norwegian & English version). LAWO classics LWC 1206.

Listen here

Buy physical CD

lwc1206 asheim grader av hvitt degrees of white cover

Pelikanen forlag har utgitt boka "Lydkilder - tekster omkring Nils Henrik Asheims musikalske praksis". 

Den kan bestilles her: https://pelikanen.no/boker/lydkilder

Hild Borchgrevink har redigert boka, hvor et knippe kunstnere og teoretikere skriver om temaer som knytter seg til Nils Henrik Asheims mangfoldige virke. I tillegg skriver Asheim om sitt eget arbeid og tar oss med inn i musikalske prøver, plateinnspillinger, skriveprosesser og planlegging av konserter.

 

lydkilder cover liten

The critics are praising the new album LAMENT by Det Norske Solistkor, featuring Nils Henrik Asheim's Muohta.

"Asheim manages to make his responses obvious, lucid and evocative [...] it’s a remarkable achievement on many levels, not least that of the bigger picture formed from these small mosaics."

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/lament-works-by-hagen-asheim-and-nordheim

"...dette verket er så vesentlig at det burde stå i platehyllen til enhver musikkelsker."
"...this is such an important piece of music that it should be found in every music lover's shelf"

https://www.musikkritikk.no/solistkoret-lament/

"...det skal godt gjøres å sette sammen en mer levende representativ trio for å vise frem det beste i norsk kor-komposisjon."
"...it's hard to put together a more representative trio of composers to display the best in Norwegian choral music"

https://www.klassiskmusikk.com/cd-anmeldelser/lament/

"Muohta er eit vellukka verk, underfundig og skifterikt".
"Muohta succeeds completely as a musical work, subtle and rich on transformations"

https://www.dagogtid.no/musikk/-truger-i-skare-6.3.16968.3ad199685e

"Noen ganger sitter man igjen med en følelse av å ha tilbrakt en time som et senter for en uimotståelig formidling av den absolutte velklang"
"There are times when you are left with the impression of having spent an hour in a hotspot for irresistible sonic beauty"

https://klassiskcd.blogspot.com/2020/08/den-magiske-stemmen.html

 

 

snow

In this article, Inger Marie Gaup Eira, associate professor at Sámi University of Applied Sciences, elaborates on the origin and practices around snow-related terminology in the Sámi language, with a view to the vocabulary used in Nils Henrik Asheim's Muohta.

"Snow is in Sámi knowledge, in Sámi practice and in the Sámi language. It is found as a theme in Sámi art, Sámi poetry, Sámi literature, and in the yoik [...]  From reindeer herders’ perspective, snow is a prerequisite for their nomadic lifestyle and herding."

Read the article pdfhere

photo: Inger Marie Gaup Eira

Nordic Council Music Prize 2018, "MUOHTA - Language of Snow" is now out on this album.
Performers: Det Norske Solistkor / Ensemble Allegria / Grete Pedersen.

Buy / Listen here

lament fb cover

Watch Arctic Philharmonic and Vocal Art perform MUOHTA, the work that won the Nordic Council Music Prize in 2018. Interview (in Norwegian) with Kristin Kverndokk of the Norwegian Broadcasting here.

LAWO Classics just released an album with the wonderful Ensemble Allegria. It features Nils Henrik Asheim's piece Høgsongen (the Song of Songs) and Serenade by P.I.Tchaikovsky. Høgsongen is narrated by Petronella Barker. The CD can be purchased physically on lawostore.no and can be found digitally on various platforms.

lwc1191 allegria asheim h ogsongen cover lowres