Sunday 5. of January
Oslo cathedral
“Draumkvedet”
A meeting between Norwegian and European medieval traditions
With Liv Ulvik, soprano
Inga Margrete Aas, double bass and tuba
Thomas C. Boysen, baroque guitar
Nils Økland, fiddles
“Draumkvedet” (“The Dream Poem”) is a Norwegian visionary poem, probably dated from the late medieval age. It is one of the best known medieval ballads in Norway. The first written versions are from Lårdal and Kviteseid in Telemark in the 1840s.
The protagonist, Olav Åsteson, falls asleep on Christmas Eve and sleeps until the thirteenth day of Christmas. Then he wakes, and rides to church to recount his dreams to the congregation, about his journey through the afterlife. The events are in part similar to other medieval ballads like the Lyke Wake Dirge: a moor of thorns, a tall bridge, and a black fire. After these, the protagonist is also allowed to see Hell and some of Heaven. The poem concludes with specific advice of charity and compassion, to avoid the various trials of the afterlife.
Thirteenth day of Christmas was a great feast day in the medieval church: Epiphania Domini, the revelation of the Lord, was celebrated in memory of Christ coming to the world as king. Church music was common to all of Catholic Europe. This is what we call Gregorian song, and it also sounded in Norway. On that very day, the holy three kings came to worship the child of Jesus with gifts, and the priest read the same story from the gospel.
Sunday, January 26, 2025
Oslo Cathedral
Gregor+Sax
Gregorian chant and sax improvisations
Consortium Vocale
conducted by Alexander M. Schweitzer
Hugo Siegmeth – saxophones
The inventor of the saxophone, Adolph Sax, presented his instrument at the Paris World’s Fair in 1855. It was originally intended for military music, but it had its big breakthrough in America in the 20th century, in the pioneering jazz of the New World. In this concert, one of the instruments of modernism sings against – and together with – Gregorian melodies from before the turn of the last millennium.
Hugo Siegmeth, The Romanian-born jazz saxophonist, clarinettist and composer has made a name for himself with his versatile musical language. His music combines jazz with classical music, Eastern European traditions and contemporary influences, making him a unique artist on the German jazz scene. Siegmeth has already worked with renowned musicians and orchestras and has received several awards, including the Bavarian Arts Promotion Prize. In addition to his work as a musician, he is also active as a composer for theatre and film music and teaches at the University of Music in Nuremberg. Hugo Siegmeth is regarded as an innovative sound researcher who is constantly exploring new musical paths and working across genres.
