Album

The Norwegian women's ensemble Trio Mediaeval specializes in early music, but also sings new music, and in this album it branches out to arrangements of folk songs. Folk musician Tone Krohn and group member Linn Andrea Fuglseth made the arrangements, which are magical and lovely. Given the constantly evolving conventions of the folk repertoire, the trio and arrangers are under no constraints to discover and follow an authentic performance practice for the songs, so the arrangements are stylistically and idiomatically varied. They retain the simplicity of a folk song, but the harmonies frequently push the folk style toward a heightened expressivity through the judicious (and highly effective) use of dissonance. One of the most striking characteristics of the arrangements is the textural variety they achieve—it's frequently hard to believe that only three voices are able to create such a rich contrapuntal web. The group sings with great purity and excellent blend, so the tart harmonies really ring, and their rhythmic incisiveness keeps the music lilting. Birger Mistereggen accompanies them on various percussion instruments, drums, and jew's harp. His contributions are discreet, but add immeasurably to the color and atmospheric variety of the music. ECM's sound is characteristically immaculate, with good resonance. The beautifully performed and produced disc should appeal equally to lovers of folk music, women's voices, and contemporary music for small vocal ensembles.

© Stephen Eddins, All Music Guide

CD 1
Norwegian Traditional Composer Det lisle bånet (The little child) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
1	Det lisle bånet (The little child)	4:43			$0.99
Norwegian Traditional Composer So ro, godt barn (Rest now, sweet child) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
2	So ro, godt barn (Rest now, sweet child)	3:07			$0.99
Norwegian Traditional Composer Villemann og Magnhild (Villemann and Magnhild) (after Maya, Kalenda) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
3	Villemann og Magnhild (Villemann and Magnhild) (after Maya, Kalenda)	1:49			$0.49
Norwegian Traditional Composer Tjovane (The thieves) (after Berg, Kirsten Bråten) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
4	Tjovane (The thieves) (after Berg, Kirsten Bråten)	2:36			$0.99
Norwegian Traditional Composer Nu solen går ned (The sun is setting) (after Bratland, Sondre) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
5	Nu solen går ned (The sun is setting) (after Bratland, Sondre)	3:56			$0.99
Norwegian Traditional Composer I mine kåte ungdomsdagar (In my reckless, youthful days) (after Tiriltunga) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
6	I mine kåte ungdomsdagar (In my reckless, youthful days) (after Tiriltunga)	3:41			$0.99
Norwegian Traditional Composer Gjendines bådnlåt (Gjendines lullaby) (after Slaalien, Kaia Gjendine) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
7	Gjendines bådnlåt (Gjendines lullaby) (after Slaalien, Kaia Gjendine)	3:53			$0.99
Norwegian Traditional Composer Bruremarsj frå Gudbrandsdalen (Wedding march from Gudbrandsdalen) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
8	Bruremarsj frå Gudbrandsdalen (Wedding march from Gudbrandsdalen)	3:05			$0.99
Norwegian Traditional Composer Rolandskvadet (The song of Roland) Work Linn Andrea Fuglseth Voice, Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
9	Rolandskvadet (The song of Roland)	2:49			$0.99
Norwegian Traditional Composer Solbønn (Sun-prayer) (after Opheim, Berit) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
10	Solbønn (Sun-prayer) (after Opheim, Berit)	1:20			$0.49
Norwegian Traditional Composer Eg veit i himmerik ei borg (I know a stronghold in heaven) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
11	Eg veit i himmerik ei borg (I know a stronghold in heaven)	2:57			$0.99
Norwegian Traditional Composer Nu vilar hela jorden (All the earth now rests in peace) (after Krohn, Tone) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble, Anna Maria Friman Voice
12	Nu vilar hela jorden (All the earth now rests in peace) (after Krohn, Tone)	3:28			$0.99
Norwegian Traditional Composer Springdans fra Vestfold (Dance from Vestfold) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
13	Springdans fra Vestfold (Dance from Vestfold)	1:38			$0.49
Norwegian Traditional Composer Eg aktar inkje (I don't think much of those boys) (after Tiriltunga) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
14	Eg aktar inkje (I don't think much of those boys) (after Tiriltunga)	1:33			$0.49
Norwegian Traditional Composer Den elskte Jerusalem (Beloved Jerusalem) (after Bøe, Arnt) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
15	Den elskte Jerusalem (Beloved Jerusalem) (after Bøe, Arnt)	3:24			$0.99
Norwegian Traditional Composer Till, till tove Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
16	Till, till tove	4:48			$0.99
Norwegian Traditional Composer Lova line (after Berg, Kirsten Bråten) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
17	Lova line (after Berg, Kirsten Bråten)	3:44			$0.99
Norwegian Traditional Composer Danse, ikke gråte nå (Dance, do not cry now) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
18	Danse, ikke gråte nå (Dance, do not cry now)	1:58			$0.49
Norwegian Traditional Composer Den signede dag (The day of joy) (after Krohn, Tone) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble, Østrem Ossum Voice
19	Den signede dag (The day of joy) (after Krohn, Tone)	2:50			$0.99
Norwegian Traditional Composer Folkefrelsar, til oss kom (Saviour of the nations, come) (after Ambrosius, d. 397) Work Birger Mistereggen Percussion, Trio Mediaeval Ensemble
20	Folkefrelsar, til oss kom (Saviour of the nations, come) (after Ambrosius, d. 397)	3:02			$0.99