Records
By lablax
On 13, nov 2023 | In Chamber Contemporary Improvisation | By lablax
Skymt
Live Maria Roggen, vocal
Ingfrid Breie Nyhus, piano
Release Dec 01, 2023
Skymt is remnants and ripplings from romantic songs, in improvisations by Live Maria Roggen and Ingfrid Breie Nyhus. Their duo work stems from songs and poems of unrest, regret, longing, disturbance and sorrow, that are repeatedly remembered and forgotten.
By lablax
On 25, nov 2021 | In Contemporary Folk music Improvisation | By lablax
Kløsterkoraler
Based on live recordings from two concerts in Geilo Culture Church December 2020.
The music derive from religious folk songs for Christmas.
Terje Isungset: percussion (track 2 and 3)
By lablax
On 26, aug 2021 | In Contemporary Folk music Improvisation | By lablax
Slåttepiano II
Slåttepiano II (2021) is piano music by Ingfrid Breie Nyhus, inspired by slåtter from Setesdal, Norway. The traditional rammeslåtter (ramm=strong) was said to put the fiddler in trance. In Slåttepiano II, the piano transforms the idea of the slått, inspired by the traditional improvisatory and restructuring approach, into abstract, microvariated, ecstatic, minimalist territory. Release Sept 17, 2021.
By lablax
On 03, mar 2021 | In Chamber Contemporary | By lablax
Portraits and Planets
Portraits and Planets – Chamber music by Erik Dæhlin
Performed by neoN Trio
By lablax
On 18, nov 2016 | In Chamber Contemporary | By lablax
Portrait with Hidden Face
PORTRAIT WITH HIDDEN FACE
Chamber vocal works by Bjørn Kruse – performed by soprano Eir Inderhaug, together with cellist Ellen Flesjø, pianist Ingfrid Breie Nyhus, harpist Ellen Sejersted Bødtker, bass clarinetist Gjertrud Pedersen, percussionist Eirik Raude, and mezzo soprano Marianne E. Andersen.
https://itunes.apple.com/album/-/id1166514792
Texts by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, Fernando Pessoa, Anne Bøe, Paal-Helge Haugen and Knut Hamsun.
Cover art is a drawing by Bjørn Kruse. In the booklet there is also paintings by Bjørn Kruse belonging to each musical work. Producer: Lene Grenager; Recording, mix and master by Thomas Hukkelberg.
Bjørn Kruse (f 1946) studied at UCLA, California and the Norwegian Academy og Music in Oslo, where he has taught since 1976, became Professor of Composition in 1997, today Professor Emeritus. In addition to composing and teaching, he works with painting. As composer, he has a worklist counting over 150 works, from chamber and choral music to larger orchestral works and operas. His latest major work was the clarinet concerto Chronotope, premiered in 2016 by Fredrik Fors and the Oslo Philharmonics. www.bjornkruse.com
By lablax
On 21, mai 2016 | In Contemporary | By lablax
All Plans Last Only Until The First Shot
Mark Adderley’s harp concerto All Plans Last Only Until The First Shot in live performance with Sunniva Rødland, harp, and Ensemble Ernst.
«The harp has traditionally had a tendency to be portrayed in a rather delicate, tender and fragile light; this is not the case in All Plans Last Only Until the First Shot. Here, the instrument displays a quite different character, at times aggressive, extravert and defiant. It is given a confrontational role in its relationship to the surrounding ensemble that also does not back off! Here, in this robust environment, no excuses are accepted. I wanted to explore, amongst other things, the aesthetics of violence, and to create, to some extent, an explosive and belligerent work for an instrument that is often regarded as something rather delicate; I wanted to get the instrument to bare its teeth and to flare up. The harp can really bite if provoked, and I approach it as an instrument with no weaknesses and no limitations. It is only in this way that one can open up the palette and paint unrestrainedly with a broad brush as I wanted to!»
By lablax
On 05, sep 2015 | In Classical Contemporary Folk music | By lablax
Stille-stykkje
Stille-stykkje:
Olav Kielland: Villarkorn
Erik Dæhlin: Den tredje, første, andre, åttende, sjuende dagen
Ingfrid Breie Nyhus, piano
These 20 «Quiet Pieces», stille-stykkje, are Olav Kielland’s piano music Villarkorn, drawing inspiration from Norwegian folk music and the harding fiddle, and Erik Daehlin’s new music based on a folk song about a visionary dream, as sung on an old recording.
Pianist Ingfrid Breie Nyhus plays the music as if it was folk music – taking on a journey through simplicity, repetitivity, groove, and listening states.
Norwegian composer and conductor Olav Kielland (1901-1985) wrote the piano work Villarkorn in the 1940s, published in 1951, a set of 20 «quiet pieces». They were written after he moved to the district of Telemark in Norway, to live close to the rich folk music traditions there. The pieces are composed with the traits of the harding fiddle music as building bricks, and they also hint to the tales of magical creatures and powers that have been an important part of folk songs and stories, even everyday life, of the people. Norwegian composer and performing artist Erik Daehlin (born 1976) has made five pieces for this album, named The Third Day, The First Day, The Second Day, The Eight Day, The Seventh Day. They are variations built upon an old recording from 1937, Margit Boe singing the folk song Draumkvedet. This folk song tells the tale of Olav who slept for 13 days, visiting the afterlife in his trancelike dream.
To order the physical CD: cd@lablabel.no
«Ingfrid Breie Nyhus is a magically poetic pianist who specializes in repertoire that combines modern classical and folk idioms. (…) Nyhus internalizes the Kielland ethos and gives it back to us with beautifully evocative performances. If Satie was Norwegian and became enthralled with local forms, his music might have sounded something like this. (…) The snippets of recorded vocalizations come at us in a quietly, ghostly sort of eerieness, as if the past were communicating to us from a distance, very much still alive. (…) It is thoroughly beautiful, still, quiet, yet with a movement through to the present, like water rippling forward inexorably but gently in a quiet rural stream. This is a program of great beauty. Ms. Nyhus gives us ideal performances. Strongly recommended.»
Gapplegate Classical-Modern Review
By lablax
On 20, mai 2015 | In Contemporary Folk music | By lablax
Abstraction in Folk Art
Abstraction in Folk Art :
Øyvind Torvund: Abstraction in Folk Art
Lasse Thoresen: Solspill
Asbjørn Schaathun: Nations
Ingfrid Breie Nyhus, piano
The investigation of traits from Norwegian folk music on the piano continues – this album presents three contemporary perspectives by highly acclaimed composers Øyvind Torvund, Lasse Thoresen and Asbjørn Schaathun, played by pianist Ingfrid Breie Nyhus.
Involved in meetings and collisions of folk traditions and pianism, due to her joint background in folk and art music, Breie Nyhus commissioned and premiered the new works by Torvund and Schaathun in 2014. Øyvind Torvund points to connections between abstract embroidery patterns and modernistic abstract formal language in «Abstraction in Folk Art», while Asbjørn Schaathun searches for the Norwegian in «Nations», within the juxtaposing frames of Nature and Culture. Lasse Thoresen’s older piece «Solspill» takes its inspiration from images of nature and from Norwegian folk melody. Ingfrid Breie Nyhus plays the three works on an 1893 Steinway grand.
To order the physical CD: cd@lablabel.no
«Lasse Thoresens «Solspill» klinger betagende vakkert, i all sin abstrakte klangverden, nydelig realisert av Nyhus. Enkle mønstre folder seg ut, ikke tynget ned av ekstra mening, men blir stående der til å betraktes helt i sin egen rett.»
Ståle Wikshåland, Dagbladet
”…alla tre har sin grund i norsk folkmusik, här uttryckt på tre distinkt olika sätt, men sällsamt begåvade, utan ett samtidsmusiksförkonstlande som alltid vilar som en risk, ett svärd hängande över komponist och interpret. Genuint fascinerande, en total saknad av effektsökeri, men mycket kärlek till det norska, det vilda, det oförstörda. Att Schaathun berättar att han som trettonåring brevväxlade med Knut Nystedt säger väl en hel del om målmedvetenhet och känsla, liksom att Nyhus med fin expressiv förmåga klär dessa bildrika minisviter i ett finmejslat pianospel. Rekommenderas å det bestämdaste. Varför händer alltid dessa spännande skivor i Norge?»
Jan-Erik Zandersson, Universum Noll
«Nyhus viser en pianistisk bredde der nydelige klanger og tekniske utfordringer serveres lytteren. (…) Dette er en plate som trigger fantasien til lytteren. Det er tre flotte og veldig ulike verk som presenteres, selv om de alle tre har et godt fotfeste i folketonen. Ingfrid Breie Nyhus imponerer med denne platen – både fordi hun er en strålende musiker, og at hun har satt sammen en plate som er både spesiell, nyskapende og lyttervennlig.»
Trond Eriksson
«Pianist Ingfrid Breie Nyhus beveger seg sømløst mellom disse ikke lenger atskilte domenene av musikken. (…) Gjennomgående for verkene på platen «Abstraction in Folk Art» er at de tar opp ideer, mønstre og strukturer fra folkemusikken uten å direkte prøve å etterlikne den. Dermed kan musikken fri seg fra klisjeene, få et grunnlag for videre utvikling, og kanskje til og med kaste lys på Grieg og hans virksomhet. Naturen er vel det som best definerer det norske, og den har vært helt sentral i musikken. (…) «Solspill» har også en sanselig klanglig fryd der man lett kan se for seg åpne fjellandskaper og stille vann. (…) Ingfrid Breie Nyhus gjør en viktig jobb i å fornye norsk klassisk tradisjon gjennom å spille og å bestille ny musikk i en fornyet tradisjon.»
Magnus Andersson, Klassekampen
«Att nutida tonsättare hittar inspiration i folkmusik är inte ovanligt. Både nu och då. Och även Edvard Grieg var en gång nutida! Här är tre relativt lättillgängliga stycken av tre norska tonsättare tolkade av pianisten Ingfrid Breie Nyhus, vars repertoar omfattar både klassisk nutida och folkmusik. Första stycket från 2014 av Øyvind Torvund har ett
på pappret rätt invecklat upplägg med elektronik och kassettbandspelare plus flygeln. Pianisten avlyssnar en sekvens på kassetten och imiterar vad hon hört, precis som folkmusiktraditionen bjudit yngre spelare att lyssna till de äldre. Resultatet är dynamiskt och något splittrat, titeln Abstraction in folk art helt adekvat. Solspill från 1983 av Lasse Thoresen avbildar solkatternas lekfulla spel en klar och stilla dag, en vindpust kan få dem att fladdra till, ett mörkt moln i fjärran är inget riktigt hot. Asbjørn Schaathuns Nations, från 2014, är det längsta stycket med sina dryga tjugotre minuter, och också det tyngsta. Med ”natur” och ”kultur” som poler vill han skapa ett Norskt stycke musik med Norska musikdetaljer (med moment typiska för hardangerfelan till exempel). Med sådana anspråk kunde det blivit ett riskprojekt nu när nationalromantiken är ett passerat kapitel. Men lyssnar man bara på musiken tonar ett saktmodigt landskap fram som kan vara både ett inre och ett yttre. Utbrott av spretig dramatik, muller och tillrande små diskanthopp är inbakade i formen. Det är framspelat med en skopa distans, stramhet och en balja värme.
Allt hålls samman till synes utan ansträngning, vilket ju tyder på övning, skicklighet och ett gott sinne för form och flyt hos pianisten, och – musiken exkluderar inte någon.»
Leif Carlsson, Lira Musikmagasin
«Tittelen på Ingfrid Breie Nyhus’ album, Abstraction in Folk Art, er hentet fra det korteste verket på platen – Øyvind Torvunds – men passer som konsept på alle tre verkene (og egentlig på mye europeisk kunstmusikk fra de siste 160 årene). De tre komponistene følger påfallende ulike spor, og to – Torvunds tittelspor og Asbjørn Schaathuns Nations, begge komponert i 2014 – bruker elektronikk, forhåndsinnspilt på kassettspiller for Torvunds del, mens Schaathun bruker live electronics. Schaathuns ofte ettertenksomme studie – det lengste
verket som tar nesten halvparten av total spilletid – sammensmelter Nyhus’ klaverspill og elektronikken på en bemerkelsesverdig poetisk måte. (…) Nyhus spiller fantastisk hele veien, omgitt av superklar lyd som fanger hvert klikk av Torvunds kassettspiller på scenen. En spennende plate.»
Klassisk Musikkmagasin
By lablax
On 17, feb 2015 | In Classical Contemporary | By lablax
Rolf Borch Plays Houvenaghel’s Organ
«Nuance of timbre and strongly communicating musicality (…) Houvenaghel’s Organ is a strong and wonderful celebration of this young Norwegian performer’s profile as a musician and artist (…) The polyphonic and sonorously saturated organ harmony is broadly painted with Borch’s super clarinet. It works. And it works well!»
(Annabel Guaita, BT)
«Borch is one of this country’s finest clarinet players, having had a dream of playing the great masters in the organ reperoire – in an organ setting. And then, of course, he does something about it. (…) A CD one can amuse oneself with – and marvel over.»
(Trond Eriksson)
Houvenaghel’s Organ is clarinetist Rolf Borch´s organist debut. By adding the contrabass clarinet to his family of clarinets, Rolf Borch is able to fill the same range as that of a large church organ. Being a classical clarinetist, highly profiled as a performer of contemporary music, Borch on this album plays iconic organ works by Frescobaldi, Bach and Reger along with his own new organ piece, Veils.
www.borchorgan.com
To order the physical CD: cd@lablabel.no
