Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen:
Ars vivendi (2014)

Knut Vaage:
Hogsongen (2009)

Contemporary Norwegian works for choir and soloists. Song of Songs from Norwegian poet Georg Johannesen. Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen about Ars Vivendi:

"In 1999, Norwegian poet Georg Johannesen wrote the collection of poems Ars Vivendi - eller de syv levemater (eng: Ars Vivendi - or the seven virtues of life). The structure of this collection is organised into weeks, one week for each of the seven virtues. I have chosen one weekday to correspond to each of the virtues, a total of seven poems which became seven movements. This work is dedicated to my wife, Hege."

Knut Vaage about Hogsongen:

"A few years ago I was pleased to have a new piece of work commissioned for Collegium Musicum. From the outset it was clear that I would use the text from Solomon's Song of Songs, especially in light of the fact that I had the opportunity to realise a major work using the church as the performing arena. Hence the title Hogsongen (eng. Song of Songs), a piece written for choir and orchestra with soprano and baritone soloists. A considerable amount of time was spent editing the text before composing began. The entirety of Solomon's text would have been far too long to fit within the framework of the piece, so I chose some excerpts while adhering to the dramaturgical sequence of the text and endeavouring to be faithful to the essence and character of the text.(…)"

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Recorded at Bergenhus Fortress, Koengen, Bergen, 11–13 September 2015