Sunday 29 September 2019

People love hymns! This was clearly demonstrated when 2.2 million people watched the Book of Psalms minute by minute on NRK in 2014. Hymns bring people together, in familiar melodies and texts, some new, some many centuries old, as links in religious festivals, or to mark church seasons or celebration.

In 1739, bishop and hymn poet Hans Adolph Brorson published a collection of Danish hymns called Troens rare klenodie (Faith's rare treasure). It seems apt to describe the Norwegian hymnal in the same way. The festival's theme CHORAL brings us further to the harmonization of hymns, and this concert wants to explore some of the melodies that have inspired composers from the 16th century to the present day. The program includes works by Josquin, Lassus and Brahms, in addition to pieces by the Norwegian composers Marianne Reidarsdatter Eriksen, Ørjan Matre and Magnar Åm.