Hörprobe: Trygve Seim / Andreas Utnem

Modestly subtitled “Songs for saxophone and piano”, 

this recording quietly covers a lot of ground, with 

repertoire including new musical settings of parts 

of the Mass, folk songs, theatre music, improvisations, 

and a new version of Trygve Seim’s softly-breathing 

tune “Bhavana” (first heard on “Different Rivers”). 

“Purcor” is the first recorded documentation of a 

duo that already has a 14 year history. In the mid 

1990s pianist-composer Andreas Utnem, working 

with Norway’s Church City Mission foundation, invited 

saxophonist Seim to join him for selected church services, 

improvising around variations on the psalms and playing 

some of his compositions and Trygve’s. In time, this 

developed into an informal regular ‘gig’ and in 2008 

the players decided it was time to record the special 

music they had shaped along the way. “Purcor” was 

recorded at Tøyen Kirke, a church in the older part 

of Oslo. The album is a thoughtful and reflective 

album, of great charm.

Hörprobe: TRIO MEDIAEVAL

Oslo’s Trio Mediaeval presents a reconstruction of a 

13th century votive Mass to the Virgin Mary, based 

on surviving manuscripts from a Benedectine Abbey 

in the English Midlands. Inserted amid the medieval 

music are a Credo and Benedicamus Domino specially 

composed for this programme by Gavin Bryars: the 

old and the new intermingle in the work of this vocal 

ensemble. Anna Maria Friman: “The members of Trio 

Mediaeval feel that performing medieval music today 

gives us the freedom to let our imagination and ideas 

flow, as though we are creating contemporary music.”

Hörprobe: Gianluigi Trovesi

Italy’s great musical archaeologist and one of 

the outstanding improvisers of his country, 

Gianluigi Trovesi with “Profumo di Violetta” 

indulges in his love for the emotional drama 

and musical beauty of Italian opera. (The title 

simultaneously alludes to the protagonist of 

Verdi’s famous opera “La traviata” and to the 

flower’s sweet perfume.) Accompanied by the 

characteristic North-Italian provincial “banda”, 

a large wind orchestra with percussion as we 

find it in the on-stage-music of most Verdi 

operas, Trovesi takes us on a humorous journey 

through the history of the genre.

It starts with Monteverdi’s “Orfeo”, includes 

many highlights from “La traviata” before briefly 

visiting Mascagni and Puccini.

The popular and the sublime, irony and unrestrained 

pathos meet with an improvisational spirit that 

conveys the pure joy of music making. One of 

the most unorthodox albums in this year’s release 

schedule, Trovesi’s opera project is likely to win 

many enthusiastic listeners among opera lovers 

and open-minded jazz enthusiasts.

Hörprobe: Tomasz Stanko Quintet

On “Dark Eyes” (2005), Jakob Bro, the young guitarist heard 

on ECM on Paul Motian’s “Garden of Eden” is cast 

most often in the role of subtle colourist, while fellow 

Dane Anders Christensen, on electric bass throughout, 

provides the band’s throbbing pulse. The programme 

features new Stanko compositions, including “The Dark 

Eyes of Martha Hirsch”, inspired by an Oskar Kokoschka 

canvas, plus a new version of “Last Song” from Tomasz 

ECM debut “Balladyna”, as well as “Dirge for Europe” 

and “Etiuda baletowa nr. 3” from the pen of Krzysztof Komeda.

Hörprobe: Tarkovsky Quartet

Link

The unique band founded by François Couturier 

continues to draw inspiration from the films of 

Andrey Tarkovsky as its frame of reference expands. 

Allusions to Pergolesi, Bach and Shostakovich are 

to be found in the compositions here, as are 

compelling group improvisations. As the Irish Times 

wrote of the earlier “Nostalghia - Song for Tarkovsky” 

album (recorded 2005): “Mixing classical rigour with 

improvisation both formal and free, what emerges is 

austerely beautiful, etched in sombre hues and redolent 

of an unslakeable thirst to connect with a deeper well of the spirit.”

Hörprobe: MOSTER, Tearatorn

So "melodisch" ging es im Live-Konzert nicht zu ... :-)

Hörprobe: PABLO HELD TRIO

Hörprobe: TANGO ALA TURKA