Mix of organ improvisations on SVS radio
I compiled some excerpts from improvised organ concerts over the last few years. You can hear the 62 minutes mix here on SVS radio. Layered, slow-evolving music. Organs: 00:00 St.Petri, Stavanger - 09:56 Fagerborg, Oslo - 15:33 Oslo Cathedral - 26:40 Mariakirken, Århus - 42:56 St.Esprit, Paris - 48:32 Ørgryte, Gothenburg.
Singing Stones - new work for organ and brass quintet
Singing Stones a piece that explores how to fuse the sonorities of brass and organ. It is loosely based on Martin Luther's chorale "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott", that is, on a setting by Stephane Mahu (d.1541). Some fragments of it may be heard towards the end of the piece. The piece was commisioned by NyNorsk Messingkvintett and premiered by this excellent ensemble together with organist Anders Eidsten Dahl, on Nov.18, 2017 in Bragernes Church, Drammen. The following day, the performance was repeated in Sofienberg Church, Oslo.
Premiere of Muohta - language of snow
The first performance of Muohta was given by the Norwegian Soloists' Choir and Ensemble Allegria. Muohta is Sami for "Snow" and the piece is based on 18 snow-related words from that language. Performances took place in Nøtterøy and Vang churches, and finally on October 28 in Oslo, Universitetets Aula. Grete Pedersen conducted.
This piece was commissioned for a concert programme that also featured The Seasons (excerpts) by Joseph Haydn. Click below for more info...
Contribution to the Orgelbüchlein Project
On Sept 16, 2017 William Whitehead premiered my new piece Wir danken Dir, Herr Jesu Christ. The event took place in Stavanger Cathedral as a part of Norsk Orgelfestival. I am very proud to be a part of the international Orgelbüchlein project.
Premiere: In Short, for a young string orchestra
A very inspiring collaboration took place on Sept 15, as Barratt-Dues Juniororkester commissioned and premiered In Short, a 5-minute piece written in occasion of the 100 years anniversary of the Norwegian Composers Society. The concert took place during the Ultima festival, at Sentralen in Oslo. The rehearsals were lead by amazing energetic Soon-Mi Chung. On the concert, the orchestra played as they always do, without a conductor, and with amazing skill. This also marked the 25 years since our first collaboration, "Etyder over Tiden".
Varenfanfaren - opening of culture center and school
More than 140 volunteer musicians, youngsters and children participated in the commissioned opening piece of Varen, Randaberg culture scene not far from Stavanger. The event lasted for 25 minutes and featured 2 vintage ship engines, 2 tractors, a number of motorcycles, flute players, brass bands, dancers, drummers, guitar players from the local Culture school, a male choir and an accordion group, custom made steel percussion, recording of the Nautofon at Tungenes lighthouse, and more. The dancers formed their own words with the 8 letters from Gilles & Cecilie studio, ending with the slogan TENK SJØL (think yourself). Idea, staging, direction and composition by Nils Henrik Asheim.
Children's opera "The Tempest" to be staged again at the Norwegian Opera
"Stormen - Forteljinga om Ferdinand og Miranda" will be performed again at Den Norske Opera og Ballet, Oct 22 - Nov 1 2017. Music by Nils Henrik Asheim, libretto by Rune Belsvik.
German premiere of Deep Toccata in Karlsruhe
On April 27, "Deep Toccata" for organ and orchestra is performed by Badische Staatskapelle, organist Carsten Wiebusch and conductor Johannes Willig. The location is Christuskirche, with its monumental Klais organ.
This piece was originally written for the Trondheim Cathedral in 2014. It has now been revised.
A few words about the music: A "Toccata" is a piece with lots of motion, normally executed by one performer. The prefix «Deep» may here indicate several layers of motion, different tasks being performed at different speeds. Together they form a «sea of sound» where fast and slow time are working in parallel.
From the start of the piece we can hear the organ diving down into the orchestra, transmitting motion and energy and then becoming immersed in the resulting sound web. This basic gesture recurs again and again, interpreted in different ways, in a variation form.
Apart from the improvisation-like detail work, the construction of the piece follows a simple architectural plan. Comparable to the paintings of Escher, with endless staircases, there is a harmonic structure moving slowly downwards at a constant speed through all the piece. Against this, there is a counterpoint of ascending lines that becomes more and more prominent as we approach the end.
There are many other sources of inspiration: the film «Inception» with its architecture that is mirrored upwards, where you finally are not sure what is up and down. Also, Gustave Doré’s exuberant illustrations to «Paradise Lost» have been in my mind.
