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Home > Hancher > Trio Mediæval

Program - Trio Mediæval (March 23, 2006)

Introduction
Texts and Translations
Program Notes

Introduction

Trio Mediæval (Anna Maria Friman, Linn Andrea Fuglseth, Torunn Østrem Ossum) at First Presbyterian Church.

Program

Flos regalis virginalis (Three-voice conductus), Dou way Robyn/Sancta Mater (Two-voice motet with drone), Quem trina polluit (Three-voice conductus) (Anon., England, 13th C)
Laude Novella (Lauda) (Anon., Italy, 13th C)
- Solo: Torunn Østrem Ossum
Ave Maria (2000)^*, Regina Caeli (2002)^*, Ave Maris Stella (2004)^* (Andrew Smith, b. 1970)
Ave regina gloriosa (Gavin Bryars, b. 1943)^*
Two Aukrust-songs (Lasse Thoresen, b. 1949)
- Tjønnrose
- Ei naki grein
Benedicti e llaudati (Lauda) (Anon., Italy, 13th C)
Juoigam (Bjørn Kruse, b. 1946)
Traditional from Norway (arr. Tone Krohn)
- Till, till Tove
- So, ro godt barn
- Maria-vise
From The Hilliard Songbook (Piers Hellawell, b. 1956)
- True Beautie
- Iasent
- True Beautie
- On Black and White
- True Beautie
- Emerodde
Venite a laudare (Lauda) (Anon., Italy, 13th C)
- Solo: Anna Maria Friman
Traditional from Norway (arr. Tone Krohn/Linn A. Fuglseth)
- Den elskte Jerusalem
- Eg veit i himmerik ei borg
- Nu solen går ned

Notes

* indicates the work was composed for Trio Mediæval.

Contact Trio Mediæval management at:
Herbert Barrett Management
266 West 37th Street, 20th Floor
New York NY 10018
Tel. 212.245.3530
herbertbarrett.com

Texts and Translations

Flos regalis virginalis (The royal flower)

Flos regalis (The royal flower)
Virginalis (The glorious leader)
Chori dux egregia (Of the virginal chorus,)
Quam Iesse (Whom, they say,)
Natam esse (Was born)
Stripe constat regia. (From Jesse's royal stem)
Rosa fragrans, primula vernalis, (O fragrant rose, first bud of spring,)
Servos tuos libera de malis. (Free thy servants from evils.)
Rex te salem (The King has led)
Ad regalem (Three pure)
Introduxit thalamum (Into royal chamber,)
Flos decoris (O flower of elegance)
Et honoris (And honour,)
Precellentis balsamum. (Surpassing all fragrance.)
Tu glorie speculum, (Thou art a mirror of glory,)
Solis umbraculum, (Shade for the sun,)
Da famulis gaudium. (Grant joys for thy family.)

Dou way Robyn/Sancta Mater (Hush, Robyn/Holy Mother)

Sancta mater gratiae, stella claritatis (Holy mother of grace, star of brightness,)
visita nos hodie plena pietatis. (visit us today, full of compassion.)

Veni, vena veniae mox incarceratis, (Come soon, channel of pardon, to those in prison,)
solamen angustiae, fons suavitatis.(as a solace of misery, a source of sweetness.)

Recordare, mater Christi, quam amare tu flevisti; (Remember, mother of Christ, how bitterly thou didst weep;)
juxta crucem tu stetisti, suspirando viso tristi (thou didst stand beside the cross, sighing at the sad sight.)

O, Maria, flos regalis, inter omnes nulla talis; (O Mary, royal flower, among all women nonesuch,)
Tuo nato specialis nostrae carnis parce malis (in thy son unequalled, forgive the sins of our flesh.)

O, quam corde supplici locuta fuisti, (O, with how humble a heart thou didst speak)
Gabrielis nunci i cum verba cepisti. (when thou didst receive the words of Gabriel the messenger.)

'En ancilla Domini', propere dixisti; (‛Behold the handmaid of the Lord', thou didst quickly say;)
vernum vivi gaudii post hoc perperisti. (thereafter thou didst bear the springtime of living joy.)

Gaude, digna, tam benigna caeli solio; (Rejoice, worthy lady, so gracious, in the throne of heaven;)
tuos natos, morbo stratos, redde filio. (restore thy children, brought low by vice, to the Son.)

Dou way, Robyn, the child wile weepe; (Hush, Robyn, the child will weep;)
dou way Robyn. (Hush, Robyn.)

Quem trina polluit (Whom the threefold denial defiled)

Quem trina polluit (Whom earlier the threefold)
prius negatio, (denial defiled,)
peccatum diluit (his sin was softened)
trina confessio: (by a threefold confession;)
qui purum abliut, (he who washed him pure,)
Petrum admonuit (chided Peter)
veri iudicio. (by a judgment of truth.)

A petra diceri, (Thou wast said to come from a rock,)
O Petre, rectius, (O Peter, more righteously)
eo quod ceteris, (than the others,)
in fide firmius; (and in faith more firm;)
mille sustinuit (he who sustained a thousand)
penas martyrio. (punishments in martyrdom,)
Mille sustinuit (now holds a thousand)
Palmas in premio (palms in reward.)

Post lapsum steteris, (After they lapse thou didst hold firm,)
et dimicaveris (and did fight)
cruce nobilius; (by the Cross most gloriously;)
qui sic promeruit (thus as he gained merit)
nobis ut meruit (for us, so did he deserve)
perfrui gaudio. (to enjoy eternal joy.)

Laude Novella (Lauda) (New praise)

Laude novella sia cantata (Let new praise be sung)
A l'alta donna encoronata (To the Lady crowned on high.)

Fresca vergene doncella, (Fresh young maiden,)
Primo fior rose novella, (First flower of the new rose,)
Tutto'l mondo a te s'appela, (All the world calls on your help,)
Nella bonor fosti nata. (You were born in goodness.)

Laude novella sia cantata (Let new praise be sung)
A l'alta donna encoronata (To the Lady crowned on high.)

Fonte se' d'aqua surgente, (You are a spring of flowing water,)
Madre de Dio vivente, (Mother of the living God;)
Tu se' luce de la gente, (You are the light of the nations,)
Sovra li angeli exaltata. (Raised up above the angels.)

Laude novella sia cantata (Let new praise be sung)
A l'alta donna encoronata (To the lady crowned on high.)

Prego t'avocata mia, (I beseech you, my advocate,)
Ke ne me ti en bona via, (To keep me on a good road;)
Questa nostra compania (Let this company of ours)
Siate sempre commendata. (Always be under your watchful protection.)

Laude novella sia cantata (Let new praise be sung)
A l'alta donna encoronata (To the lady crowned on high.)

Ave Maria (Hail Mary)

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. (Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.)
Benedicta tu in mulieribus (You are blessed among women,)
et benedictus fructus ventris tui Jesus. (and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.)
Sancta Maria, mater Dei, (Holy Mary, Mother of God,)
ora pro nobis peccatoribus, (pray for us sinners,)
nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. (now and in the hour of our death.)
Ave Maria, gratia plena, ora pro nobis. (Hail Mary, full of grace, pray for us.)
Maria, Maria, Maria, ora pro nobis. Amen. (Mary, Mary, Mary, pray for us. Amen.)

Regina Caeli (Queen of heaven)

Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia: (O Queen of heaven rejoice! alleluia:)
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia, (For He whom thou didst merit to bear, alleluia,)
Resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia (Hath arisen as he said, alleluia.)
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia. (Pray for us to God, alleluia.)

Ave Maris Stella (Hail, O star of the sea)

Ave maris stella, (Hail, O Star of the sea,)
Dei Mater alma, (blessed Mother of God,)
atque semper Virgo, (ever a Virgin,)
felix caeli porta. (happy gate to heaven.)

Solve vincula reis, (Loosen the prisoners' chains,)
profer lumen caecis: (bring light to the blind,)
mala nostra pelle, (drive away our sins)
bona cuncta posce. (and demand all that is good.)

Vitam praesta puram, (Manifest your life of purity,)
iter para tutum, (and prepare a safe journey for us,)
ut videntes Jesum (that, seeing Jesus,)
semper collaetemur.  (we may rejoice with you for ever.)

Sit laus Deo Patri, (Praise be to God the Father,)
summo Christo decus (and glory in the highest to Christ,)
Spiritui Sancto, (with the holy Spirit,)
tribus honor unus. Amen.  (one honour to the Trinity. Amen.)

Ave regina gloriosa (Hail, glorious queen)

Ave, regina gloriosa, (Hail, glorious queen,)
plena d'ogne consolança. (full of all consolation.)
Ave, pulcra margarita, (Hail, beautiful pearl,)
splendida luce clarita; (clear shining light;)
fresca rosa et aulorita, (fresh rose and fragrance,)
nostro gaudio et alegrança. (our joy and delight.)

Ave, regina gloriosa, (Hail, glorious queen,)
plena d'ogne consolança. (full of all consolation.)

Ave, regina adorata, (Hail, adored queen,)
virgene madre beata; (blessed virgin mother;)
poi ke fosti salutata, (since you received your salutation)
madre se' de gran pietança. (you have been our mother of great holiness.)

Ave, regina gloriosa, (Hail, glorious queen,)
plena d'ogne consolança. (full of all consolation.)

Ave, porto de salute; (Hail, gateway of salvation;)
ki ben t'ama tu l'aiute; (you help whoever loves you well;)
guardane di far cadute, (save him from falling into error,)
tràici for de dubitança. (and keep us free from doubting thoughts.)

Ave, regina gloriosa, (Hail, glorious queen,)
plena d'ogne consolança. (full of all consolation.)

Tjønnrose (Water lily)

Text: Olav Aukrust, from Solrenning (English translation by Andrew Smith, 2006)

Det er grøtande	
det er sårande	
djupt seg røtande fagre	
dårande kjenslur	
rive med rotom opp.	
Sjå ein tjønnros (Behold a water lily)
på svarte votn (in the black mud)
symja still mellom (floating silently between)
sol og botn. (sun and riverbed.)
Engle fager med opna knupp. (A beautiful angel with open flower.)
Kven vil tru (Who would believe)
at inn under yndeleg lilje (that beneath the dreamy, virgin calm)
drøymande jomfru ro (of the gracious lily)
kann i mardy og natt so syndeleg (in the sinful night and murky nightmare)
seige tjønnroserøter gro. (such tough water lily roots grow.)

Ei naki grein (A naked branch)

Text: Olav Aukrust, from Himmelvarden (English translation by Andrew Smith, 2006)

Ei naki grein med blodraud bær (A naked branch with blood-red berries)
og ei som bladrik blømer (and one with leaves, in flower)
på kvar sin måte fagre er (fair, each in its own way,)
for den som kjærleg dømer (to the one who lovingly observes.)

Den eine gjev sin ange, ho (The one offers its breath)
der ljuv ho ligg og blømer (where it gently rests, flowering.)
Den andre gjev sitt hjarteblod (The other offers its heart's blood)
når lauv for haustvind rømer (when its leaves run before the autumn wind.)

Den eine skin og strålar, ho (The one radiates and shines)
Den andre brenn og mognar (The other burns and ripens)
og gjev til sist sitt hjarteblod (and gives at last the blood of its heart)
der tung av bær ho bognar (while bending, berry-laden.)

Eg gav deg den med blomar på (I gave you the one which flowered)
Eg gjev deg den med bæri (I give you the one full of berries)
Kven rikast er vil du få sjå (Which is richest you will see)
litt lenger fram på ferdi (A little further on your journey.)

Benedicti e llaudati (Lauda) (Blessed and praised)

Benedicti e llaudati sempre siate a tutte l'ore, (Sacred and blessed apostles who serve our Lord)
sancti apostoli beati servi del nostro segnore. (blessed and praised shall you be at every hour.)

Sancti apostoli, voi laudamo (Holy apostles, we praise you)
de bon core nocte et dia, (in the night and in the daytime)
et a voi raccomandamo (and we put our trust)
tutta nostra compagnia. (in you.)

Benedicti... (Sacred...)

Manteneten' en tal via (Continue to make that we)
ke potiam perseverare (may perservere)
a servire ed a laudare (to serve and praise)
Cristo nostro redemptore. (Christ our saviour.)

Benedicti... (Sacred...)

Voi chiamam per avocati (We call upon you,)
nocte e dì ogni stascione, (glorious apostles,)
apostoli glorificati (to guard us night and day)
pieni di consolatione. (that we may be filled with strength.)

Benedicti... (Sacred...)

Juoigam

Lailahelo lailalo, etc.

Till, till Tove (Till, till Tove)

Trad. Vestfold (English translation by Andrew Smith, 2005)

Till, till Tove (Till, till Tove)
tolv mand i skoge. (Twelve men in the forest.)
Tolv mand vare di, (Twelve men were they,)
tolv mann svare di. (Twelve more answered them.)
Store stuten stinga di, (They stabbed the bull,)
Bjøllekua binda di, (They tied up the cow,)
Gjeslehølingen dengde di, (They beat the herdsman,)
Fehunden flengde di (They slashed the farm dog.)
Alt det andre lause fe dro di (The rest of the cattle they took)
langt oppover åsane. (far up into the hills.)
Franse og Skaute (Franse and Skaute)
sto høgt oppå Dårefjell og raute. (Were on the Dåre mountain, calling.)
Der hørte jeg mi Litago, (There I heard my Litago,)
ho rauta ho sauta. (mooing and moaning.)
Men jeg torde inte svara ho. (But I dared not answer.)

So, ro godt barn (Rest now, sweet child)

Trad. Vestfold (English translation by Andrew Smith, 2005)

So ro, godt barn (Rest now, sweet child)
mor spinner blått garn (Mother's spinning thread so blue)
by, by liten ting. (Bye, bye, my little one.)
Snart kommer pappa'n din, (Soon your father will come,)
han kjører plogen, (he's out ploughing the field,)
søster går i skogen. (sister's walking in the woods.)
Søster gjeter sauene (Sister's herding the sheep)
langt nord i hauene, (in the hills to the north,)
bror står i uren (brother's up at the scree)
og blåser i luren. (blowing his horn.)
Bukken går i lunden (The goat's in the meadow)
med løv og gress i munnen. (chewing leaves and grass.)

Maria-vise (Song of Mary)

Medieval text (English translation by Andrew Smith, 2005)

Maria hun var en jomfru ren. (Mary was a virgin pure.)
Gud monne sin miskunn vise, (God, through his mercy,)
hun fødte en sønn foruten men, (gave her a son,)
han skal vi love og prise. (to him be the glory.)
Han har oss alle av synden løst, (He has freed us from sin,)
Han give oss trøst (he brings us relief)
og himmeriks evige lise. (and the eternal comfort of heaven.)

Var verdens mestre på ett sted, (If the wise men of the world congregated,)
det var så fager en skare. (a beautiful gathering it would be.)
De kunne deg ei med alt de vet (Yet with all their knowledge)
hans godhet åpenbare. (they could not reveal his goodness.)
Ti så er Jesus av nåden full, (For Jesus is full of mercy,)
han være oss huld (he will be faithful to us)
når vi skal av verden fare. (when we leave this world.)

O kunne jeg alskens tungemål (O that I could speak and write)
og skriftens dyp utfinne. (the mysteries of all languages.)
Og var så min tunge gjort av stål (O that my tongue were of steel)
og englemål der inne. (and my mouth filled with the voices of angels.)
Da vil jeg falle på mine kne, (Then I would fall to my knees)
og bad og gråt (to pray and cry)
til Jesum vel tusinde sinde. (a thousand times to my Lord.)

Mine synder ere som sand i strand, (My sins are like grains of sand on the beach,)
mangfoldig som sol i strime. (countless as rays of the sun.)
Gud løse meg nå av syndens band, (Lord, free me from the bond of sin,)
og helst i dødsens time. (now and at the hour of death.)
Gud la meg aldri gå fortapt, (Lord, you who have made me,)
som meg har skapt. (do not let me be lost.)
Gi meg av nådene dine. (Show me your mercy.)

True Beautie

True beautie
of each perfect cullor
In his full perfection
In perfect hard bodies
And very transparent

Iasent

Garnets there are sundrie sorts
Some called garnets suryma
Iasent labella is a cind of red
Like a saffron blade
Transparent and beautifull,
As any spinaller garnet
As hard and bright
The common iasent is orange tawny

On Black and White

Some sayeth ther are—but toe cullors
Wch are black and white
Light and darknes
Lightning and shadowing

Of whites whit lead is the best
A day's grinding wth gume arabeck
First and finest I call satin whit
Other whits of divers things
Bones of a lamb
Shells
Ege shells
Oyster shells

The best blacke is velvet blacke
Ivory burnt in a crucible air
Enter
Not good to put among ink
Other blackes in lyke maner
Chery stones
Date stones
Peach stones
Charkecole
Willowe cole

Give evrything
his proper lustre
His true cullor
Light and shadowe

Emerodde

Emerodde
most perfect greene
on earth growing nat'rally
Most perfect greene
that is in any thing
Most perfect greene
that is possible by arte to make
Rarely of the new myne
are they to faire greene
Paler as it were mixed with sea greene
Griselite wch is popingey greene
Egmaryne wch is a sea greene
Burril, yet a more bluish greene
Emerodde

Venite a laudare (Lauda) (Come and praise)

Venite a laudare, (Come and praise,)
Per amore cantare (Sing with love)
L'amorosa vergene Maria. (Of the loving Virgin Mary.)

Maria gloriosa biata (Mary, glorious, blessed,)
Sempre si'molto laudata, (May you be always praised;)
Preghiam ke ne si'avocata (I pray that you may be my advocate)
Al tuo filiol virgo pia. (To your Son, o holy maid.)

Venite a laudare, (Come and praise,)
Per amore cantare (Sing with love)
L'amorosa vergene Maria. (Of the loving Virgin Mary.)

Pietosa regina sovrana, (Compassionate sovereign Queen,)
Conforta la mente ch'e vana, (Comfort the mind which is barren and empty;)
Grande medicina ke sana, (Great medicine which brings healing,)
Aiutane per tua cortisia. (Give help through your gracious kindness.)

Venite a laudare, (Come and praise,)
Per amore cantare (Sing with love)
L'amorosa vergene Maria. (Of the loving Virgin Mary.)

Vigorosa potente biata, (Full of life and strength, blessed lady,)
Per te e questa laude cantata, (For you this song of praise is sung;)
Tu se'la nostra avocata, (You are our advocate,)
La piu fedel ke mai sia. (The most faithful there could ever be.)

Venite a laudare, (Come and praise,)
Per amore cantare (Sing with love)
L'amorosa vergene Maria. (Of the loving Virgin Mary.)

Den elskte Jerusalem (Beloved Jerusalem)

(English translation by Andrew Smith, 2005)

Den elskte Jerusalems lengsel meg nøder at ile (Beloved Jerusalem's yearning still makes me to hark)
Til Jesum, som duen til Noa i arken at hvile. (unto Jesus, as the dove unto Noah to rest in the Ark.)
Akk, hadde jeg vinger som ørnen seg svinger (O, had I but wings like the eagle in flight)
jeg ville oppfare fra alt hva meg tvinger og stinger. (then might I rise up from my sore, worldly plight.)

Akk glede, akk sødeste glede meg ganske beringer (O joy, O the sweetest of joys which in me is abounding,)
Hosanna og evig halleluja frydelig klinger. (hosanna, alleluia evermore joyfully sounding.)
Her harpene røres og sangene høres (Let lyres and voices with sweet adoration)
ja, alt hva formerer min glede fremføres og gjøres. (In every way ring out their glad jubilation.)

Syng amen mitt hjerte, syng amen mitt innerste hjerte. (Sing amen, my heart, O sing amen my innermost being.)
I himmelens salighet endes din våde og smerte. (Pain and long-suffering cease in the realm of the heavenly king.)
Gud, lad oss tilsammen i glede og gammen (Lord, let us together in joy and in pleasure)
som Kristi brud juble med himmelske brammen (rejoice, as Christ's bride, with full heavenly measure—)
Syng amen! (sing amen!)

Eg veit i himmerik ei borg (I know of a heavenly stronghold)

Text: Bernt Støylen, 1905 (Norwegian translation) (English translation by Andrew Smith, 2005)

Eg veit i himmerik ei borg, (I know of a heavenly stronghold)
ho skin som soli klåre, (shining as bright as the sun;)
der er kje synder eller sorg, (there are neither sin nor sorrow)
der er kje gråt og tåre. (and never a tear is shed.)

Eg er ein fattig ferdamann, (I am a weary traveller;)
må mine vegar fara (may my path lead me)
herfrå og til mitt fedreland, (from here to the land of my father;)
Gud, meg på vegen vara! (God, protect me on my way.)

Me takkar deg til evig tid, (We thank you for eternity)
Gud Fader, alle saman, (God the Father, one in three.)
for du er oss så mild og blid (For you are gentle and mild to us)
i Jesus Kristus! Amen. (in Jesus Christ! Amen.)

Nu solen går ned (The sun has now set)

Trad. Vestfold (English translation by Andrew Smith, 2006)

Nu solen går ned, (The sun has now set)
og aftenen breder på jorden sin fred. (and the calm of the evening spreads over the land.)
Småfuglene flyver til redene hen, (Little birds, bound for the nest, are in flight)
og blomsten har lukket sitt øye igjen. (and the flower is shutting its eye to the night.)
Så lukker seg også mitt hjerte i lønn (My heart, which in earnest His praise will prepare,)
med gudelig bønn, (to God turns in prayer,)
med gudelig bønn. (to God turns in prayer.)

Hav takk for i dag, (Thank you for this day,)
Gud Fader i himlen, som fremmet min sak. (God the Father in heaven who hears when I pray.)
Du har meg omhegnet, alt ondt fra meg vendt, (All evil's dispelled in your protecting love;)
mitt arbeid velsignet, meg lykke tilsendt. (my work you have blessed and sent joy from above.)
Så mildelig timene for meg henrant (Gently the hours of this day ran their course,)
Takk skje deg, så sant, (thanks truly be yours,)
takk skje deg, så sant. (thanks truly be yours.)

Program Notes

Flos regalis virginalis. Dou Way, Robyn/Sancta Mater. Quem trina polluit. Wars, the church and changing tastes all contributed to the destruction of medieval manuscripts, especially in England, where the pattern of survival is extremely fragmentary. What is left is probably only a small fraction of what there was, and some of the music survived under extraordinary circumstances.

Devotion to the Virgin Mary, though a pan-European phenomenon, was particularly intense in England throughout the middle ages. A large proportion of medieval English polyphony venerates the Virgin; she is invoked as the "star of the sea," "gateway to the heavens," "gracious queen of heaven." Dou Way, Robyn/Sancta Mater, a thirteenth-century English motet, fits into this Marian tradition in a recognizable but unique way, in that the Marian Latin hymn sung by the upper vocal part is combined with a secular English tenor. The tenor carries a short phrase (from a folk song perhaps), that translates as "Hush Robin, the baby will cry..."

Laude novella. Benedicti e llaudati. Venite a laudare. The monophonic music in the program is from a collection of Laude, surviving in a thirteenth-century manuscript from Cortona. The music may be older (Jacopone da Todi's poetry has been associated with the laudesi), and consists of monophonic spiritual songs. These are not liturgical pieces: the laudesi who originally sung them banded together in confraternities (not unlike the Franciscans) and were not usually associated with a particular church. They travelled from place to place, and the more zealous members are reported to have whipped themselves into a penitential frenzy. These outpourings of violent hysteria were presumably followed by periods of quiet reflection such as we hear in the music today.

Ave Maria, Regina Caeli, and Ave Maris Stella are three of a set of six Marian pieces written by Andrew Smith at the request of Trio Mediæval. The two Ave pieces consist of gently dissonant harmonies within a distinctly modern, modal context. Regina caeli presents the original Gregorian chant antiphon in a setting where the contrast between the old and the new is more pronounced.

Ave regina gloriosa. On the CD Words of the Angel, Trio Mediaeval sang three anonymous solo laude which may have dated from the 12th century. These were settings of devotional Marian poems expressing a sentiment which reached back to the dawn of Christian music, and were composed in a simple verse and refrain form that is probably much older still. Gavin Bryars has set the same texts (and until today 25 further laude texts), extrapolating on the anonymous originals, sometimes adding lines and textures but retaining the ancient outlines. The composer, interacting with both the medieval paradigm and the living soprano voice has referred to the challenge of writing something "so exposed, so naked and unadorned, where I cannot hide behind, say, a skilfully orchestrated accompaniment—like a painter who has hitherto had the luxury of painting massive canvases with dense oils, being obliged to work in pen and ink, in black and white, on a simple piece of paper, like a Zen artist refusing the possibility of revision or correction."

Tjønnrose and Ei naki grein. These two pieces are settings of poems by the Norwegian poet Olav Aukrust. The music was composed in 1967 by Lasse Thoresen, who teaches composition at The Norwegian Academy of Music.

Juoigam. Bjørn Kruse's piece was written in 1993 for the Norwegian Broadcast Children's Choir Competition. The piece is built on a Joik, a traditional Saami (or Lapplandic) chant which we believe is one of the oldest forms of music in Europe.

Till, till Tove (a cattle song) and So ro, godt barn (a lullaby: Hush, good child) are both from the county of Vestfold in the southeast of Norway. Maria-vise is a song to the Virgin Mary, originally sung in the county of North-Trøndelag.

The Hilliard Songbook by Piers Hellawell was written in 1995 to a commission from the Hilliard Ensemble for their Cambridge Summer School. The Songbook is divided into two volumes of short pieces, the settings for up to four voices and those for five or more voices respectively. The pieces in this sequence come from volume one. The text of the entire work is taken from The Arte of Limning by sixteenth-century portraitist Nicholas Hilliard, whose name is perhaps better known than his miniature portraits thanks to the Hilliard Ensemble. This treatise on "limning" (miniature portraits) is itself a small work of art, for Hilliard's gift for poetic language matches his artistic skills. His outlandish descriptions of various precious stones—popinjay green, clear-water color, the saffron blade, many colors radiant and strange—suggest any amount of sound-colors. Each volume includes the main sequence of songs and a supplement, in which extra items and arrangements from the larger pieces are contained. This set presents the pieces for one voice (True Beautie, the refrain), two voices (Iasent) and three voices (Emerodde), as well as a piece from the supplement, On Black And White (a two-part setting). The Hilliard Songbook is dedicated to Dorothy King.

Den elskte Jerusalem is from the county of Vestfold. The words are by Niels Brorson, the arrangement by the Norwegian folksinger and musician Tone Krohn. The text is a praise of heaven's bliss, where all earthly pain is ended.

Eg veit i himmerik ei borg is a Norwegian folktune, as sung in Hallingdal in the county of Buskerud. The text is from Germany, before 1600, and was translated into Norwegian by Bernt Støylen in 1905. This arrangement was written for Trio Mediæval by trio member Linn Andrea Fuglseth.

Nu solen går ned is a folk tune from the county of Telemark in a version after one of the most well-known male folksingers in Norway, Sondre Brattland.

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