Norwegian guitarist and composer Kim Myhr makes music based on an orchestral exploration of the guitar and has been nominated for both the Nordic Music Prize and the Norwegian Grammys, (Borealis Festival 2024 notes.) In mid-March of 2024, he presents a new work for the opening of the Borealis festival, for no less than fifty 12-string guitars. For this New Sounds show, listen to music from his 2024 record, called Hereafter, on which Myhr himself plays both 12- and 6-string electric guitars. The work, Hereafter written for the 15-piece Stavanger-based ensemble Kitchen Orchestra, “can be seen as a meditation on mortality and transience”, and consists of two continuous parts. Myhr further writes on his social media of the work that “he imagined it a bit like a morning and evening raga,” (Instagram). Listen to three movements from the “evening raga” -like second part.
There’s also music from Norway by Sámi singer Marja Mortensson, together with the Trondheim Soloists’ String Quartet, and brand new music with layered tuba and bass trumpet by composer Daniel Herskedal, featuring singer Marja Mortensson, from Herskedal’s 2024 release, A Single Sunbeam. Also, listen to music by Norway’s doom jazz piano trio Splashgirl, which includes contributions from the Seattle-based musician Skerik on sax and electronics on their record, Hibernation. Recorded in the bleak of Iceland, the music is doomy in a heavy way - completely expected, thanks to their continued close collaboration with engineer and producer Randall Dunn, who has worked with the likes of Sunn o))) and Earth, (Havlik, 2015). Plus, hear music from an early album by Norwegian guitarist and composer Terje Rypdal, and more. - Caryn Havlik
Program #4851, New Music from Norway (First aired 2/23/2024)
ARTIST: Kim Myhr & Kitchen Orchestra
WORK: VII [1:01]
RECORDING: Hereafter
SOURCE: SOFA Music
INFO: sofamusic.bandcamp.com/album/hereafter
ARTIST: Splashgirl
WORK: Bleak Warm Future [6:32]
RECORDING: Hibernation
SOURCE: Hubro Music
INFO: hubromusic.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Terje Rypdal
WORK: Adagio [12:27]
RECORDING: Odyssey
SOURCE: ECM Records
INFO: ecmrecords.com
ARTIST: Kim Myhr & Kitchen Orchestra
WORK: VII [5:44]
RECORDING: Hereafter
SOURCE: SOFA Music
INFO: sofamusic.bandcamp.com/album/hereafter
ARTIST: Kim Myhr & Kitchen Orchestra
WORK: VIII [6:03]
RECORDING: Hereafter
SOURCE: SOFA Music
INFO: sofamusic.bandcamp.com/album/hereafter
ARTIST: Kim Myhr & Kitchen Orchestra
WORK: IX [4:31]
RECORDING: Hereafter
SOURCE: SOFA Music
INFO: sofamusic.bandcamp.com/album/hereafter
ARTIST: Marja Mortensson & Daniel Herskedal, Trondheim Soloists’ String Quartet
WORK: Årrode våårege - Be Cautious [5:06]
RECORDING: Lååje - Dawn
SOURCE: Vuelie
INFO: marjamortensson.no
ARTIST: Daniel Herskedal, with Marja Mortensson et al
WORK: Tunnel [5:33]
RECORDING: A Single Sunbeam
SOURCE: Edition Records, due out March 1, 2024
INFO: danielherskedal.bandcamp.com