Salmenes bok – The Book Of Psalms

Salmenes bok – The Book Of Psalms cover
Release year:
2022
Credits:
  • Kåre Nordstoga, organ
  • Oslo Domkor, choir
  • Vivianne Sydnes, conductor
  • Nils Henrik Asheim, Organ, composition
Press/media:

«Orgelspillet kan knapt bli bedre: med Asheim selv på hovedorgelet og domorganist Kåre Nordstoga på kororgelet. Det vi imidlertid mest av alt hører her, er Asheims gode grep om orgelet som ensembleinstrument, samt hans fantasi rundt stemmens uttrykksmuligheter. Dette skaper et bevegende dybdepsykologisk bilde av menneskesinnet...»

—  Magnus Andersson, Klassekampens musikkmagasin, 2022-10-10 ↗
About the album:

The process behind this work originates from when Oslo Cathedral commissioned a large-scaled work by Nils Henrik Asheim for the inauguration of the church's new main pipe organ in 1998. The composer suggested including a choir to create a cycle of texts from the Book of Psalms, and the Oslo Cathedral Choir were more than willing to participate, with their dedication to the piece being integral to the work's development.

The commission resulted in The Book of Psalms - for choir and 2 organs.

Organ builders Ryde & Berg made both the main organ (with 53 voices) and the choir organ (16 voices), with the combination of the two becoming central to the concept of the work. The two instruments bathe the room in an immersive soundscape, with the choir representing the voice inside this.

The composer himself chose a selection of lines taken from 21 hymns, with the view to creating a holistic narrative through use of contrasts. Five “Allelujah” movements for organ complete each of the sections of the work. In the 1998 version, these were improvised movements for solo organ, but in the revised version from 2019 the movements were re-composed as organ duos. The titles of these five movements are taken from Psalm 150, v.1–3.

Album published by:
LAWO Classics (LWC 1232)

Album booklet

Purchase/stream album:
Tracks:

  1. Salme 1: Ash-ré ha-ish

  2. Salme 5: Du hører min røst om morgenen

  3. Salme 8: Når jeg ser din himmel

  4. Salme 13. Hvor lenge, O Herre

  5. Salme 18. Da skalv og skaket jorden

  6. Alleluja I - med gjallende horn

  7. Salme 19: Himmelen forkynner Guds herlighet

  8. Salme 22: Min Gud, hvorfor har du forlatt meg

  9. Salme 27: Skjul ikke ditt ansikt for meg

  10. Salme 40: Han la i min munn en ny sang

  11. Alleluja II - med harpe og lyre

  12. Salme 42. Som hjorten skriker etter rennende bekker

  13. Salme 49: A-té lø-ma-shal oz-ní

  14. Salme 62: Vær stille for Gud, min sjel

  15. Salme 69: Gud, kom meg til redning

  16. Salme 74: Du kløvde havet i din velde

  17. Alleluja III - med pauke og dans

  18. Salme 108: Gud, mitt hjerte er rolig

  19. Salme 114: Da Israel dro ut av Egypt

  20. Salme 126: Da Herren vendte Sions lagnad

  21. Alleluja IV - med strengespill og fløyte

  22. Salme 130: Min sjel venter på Herren

  23. Salme 137: Ved Babylons elver der satt vi og gråt

  24. Salme 139: Hvor skal jeg gå bort fra din ånd

  25. Salme 148: Lovsyng Herren fra himmelen

  26. Alleluja V - med tonende cymbaler

Related work(s):

Salmenes bok – the Book of Psalms - for choir and two organs