This recording of Oslo Cathedral’s Christmas program demonstrates that the cathedral continues to thrum with its rich musical tradition. Vivianne Sydnes, who succeeded Kvam as Artistic Director and Choirmaster of the Oslo Domkor in 2015, has brought the quality of the cathedral’s choral music to new heights. While maintaining a strong sense of tradition, Sydnes has invigorated and developed the musical activities of the cathedral.

The album begins with ‘Veni, redemptor gentium’ (‘Come, Saviour of mankind’), an ancient church hymn for Advent and Christmastide. Bringing new generations together to sing these ancient melodies is one of the finest and most meaningful things a church can do. The concert culminates triumphantly with the last verse of ‘Deilig er jorden’, where the choirs sing of the Angels’ wish for peace from Bethlehem: ‘Fred over jorden, menneske, fryd deg! Oss er en evig Frelser født’ (‘Peace on Earth, men, rejoice! Unto us a Saviour is born’).

– Kåre Nordstoga, Organist at Oslo Cathedral

Oslo Domkor (Oslo Cathedral Choir)
Vivianne Sydnes, Artistic Director and Choirmaster
Kåre Nordstoga, Organ

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This album is available exclusively in Stereo DSD 64, 128, 256, 512 and DXD. It is not available on SACD. 

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.

Oslo Cathedral Choir
Vivianne Sydnes – Conductor
Kåre Nordstoga – Organ
Nils Henrik Asheim – Organ

The post The Book of Psalms (Salmenes bok) appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

The music was played on the Christian Muller Organ (1735-1738) at St. Bavo Church in Haarlem, The Netherlands on September 10-12, 2019. This is Kare Nordstoga’s second album at Native DSD Music following Magical Memories for Trumpet where Nordstoga performed music for trumpet and organ with trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth.

In this familiar collection of 45 organ chorales the composer has, in Albert Schweitzer’s view, realized the ideal of the chorale prelude. Each of the small miniatures is an elaborate chorale harmonization, in which every single motif and every single polyphonic idea seems to have meaning related to the hymn’s content.

This is a Stereo DXD recording available in Stereo DSD 512, DSD 256, DSD 128, DSD 64 and DXD. Download both recent J.S. Bach DSD Organ albums from LAWO Classics – Volume 1 and Volume 2 featuring these compositions – at an amazing price. They are DSD Exclusive, Not Available on SACD releases.

NativeDSD Bundles are a mini collection of DSD albums created by the NativeDSD team that brings the works of a special artist, music label or musical genre to your personal library. Better yet, when you buy all the albums in a bundle, NativeDSD gives you a special discounted price on the full bundle. Expanding your musical horizons and collection while saving money at the same time. Each bundle is a DSD music opportunity and adventure we urge you to explore.

Kare Nordstoga – Organ

The post Bach: Orgelbüchlein (The Little Organ Book), Preludes, Fantasies & Passacaglia (Volumes 1 & 2) [DSD Bundle] appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

On this new 2-Volume album of Kåre Nordstoga’s series of recordings of Johann Sebastian Bach’s complete organ works the listener is introduced to “Orgelbüchlein” (The Little Organ Book).

The music was played on the Christian Muller Organ (1735-1738) at St. Bavo Church in Haarlem, The Netherlands on September 10-12, 2019. This is Kare Nordstoga’s second album at Native DSD Music following Magical Memories for Trumpet where Nordstoga performed music for trumpet and organ with trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth.

In this familiar collection of 45 organ chorales the composer has, in Albert Schweitzer’s view, realized the ideal of the chorale prelude. Each of the small miniatures is an elaborate chorale harmonization, in which every single motif and every single polyphonic idea seems to have meaning related to the hymn’s content.

Kare Nordstoga – Organ

The post Bach: Orgelbüchlein (The Little Organ Book), Preludes, Fantasies & Passacaglia (Volume 2) appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

On this new 2-Volume album of Kåre Nordstoga’s series of recordings of Johann Sebastian Bach’s complete organ works the listener is introduced to “Orgelbüchlein” (The Little Organ Book).

The music was played on the Christian Muller Organ (1735-1738) at St. Bavo Church in Haarlem, The Netherlands on September 10-12, 2019. This is Kare Nordstoga’s second album at Native DSD Music following Magical Memories for Trumpet where Nordstoga performed music for trumpet and organ with trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth.

In this familiar collection of 45 organ chorales the composer has, in Albert Schweitzer’s view, realized the ideal of the chorale prelude. Each of the small miniatures is an elaborate chorale harmonization, in which every single motif and every single polyphonic idea seems to have meaning related to the hymn’s content.

Kare Nordstoga – Organ

The post Bach: Orgelbüchlein (The Little Organ Book), Preludes, Fantasies & Passacaglia (Volume 1) appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

The album includes music she remembers hearing during her childhood such as Lindberg’s “Gammal Fabodpsalm fran Dalarna” and Purcell’s “Trumpet Tune in C major” as well as modern songs for special occasions such as Sjoberg’s “Den forsta gang jag sag dig” a Swedish love song translated as “The First Time I Saw You”. Composers include Marcello, Telemann, Grieg, Moraeus, Lindberg, Sommerro and many more.

Tine Thing Helseth says: “This is a very personal album to me. Whilst I was growing up my mother also played the trumpet, and many of these pieces are works that I listened to laying on the floor next to the organ whilst she was at rehearsals. She took me from when I was 6 weeks old! Other tracks are just lovely melodies and songs that people often use on special occasions: happy or sad. So, the album is filled with my musical memories and my hope is that it will bring musical memories to the listeners as well.”

Helseth and organist Kare Nordstoga recorded the album in Oslo Cathedral, during Norway’s lockdown in late August and early September 2020. They worked from late in the evening into the early hours of the morning. The sessions were designed to carefully capture the perfect sound, undisturbed by even the already minimized noise of the outside world.

This physical sanctuary reflects the haven Helseth creates for her audience and throughout the album, the listener is transported into a world of vivid colors and emotions. For Helseth, it is a place where she can express herself in the most personal and genuine way. She and Nordstoga improvise on three of the tracks – the Sjoberg and two wedding marches – joining them together with listeners to experience the magic of music.

Tine Thing Helseth, Trumpet
Kare Nordstoga, Organ

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NativeDSD is making this album available to our customers as an introduction to the 2L catalog. Even though some of the earliest released 2L tracks are PCM sourced and would not usually be eligible for a release at NativeDSD, we publish anthologies like these from time to time for the labels that made the switch to DSD, with complete provenance information and explanation. 2L adopted the new recording technologies as they came available. This is a wonderful collection of 2L catalog highlights that we trust you will enjoy.

2L says “From combined musical and audiophile criteria we have compiled a collection of the most excellent and impressive recordings 2L (Lindberg Lyd) have to offer. 9 of the tracks originate from DXD (352.8kHz/24bit), presented now in DSD and DXD Stereo and Multichannel.

Two of the albums represented in this compilation have been Grammy Award nominated for the “Best Surround Sound Album”. Discover what the unique 2L Nordic Sound is all about with this album.”

The post The Nordic Sound: 2L Audiophile Reference Recordings appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

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The double form prelude (or toccata) and fugue has been an established form of composition since the 1600s. The North Germans Dietrich Buxtehude and Georg Bohm made a powerful contribution to this contrastive style in which the freer first part and the more rigorous second part are united in a dynamic whole. The young Johann Sebastian harvested significant impressions from these two composers during his time in Lubeck and Luneburg, and this album was recorded in Luneburg.

Kare Nordstoga, Organist

The post Bach: Toccatas, Preludes and Fugues appeared first on NativeDSD Music.