TRIO MEDIAEVAL / Folk Songs 

CAT No. 4766179

Anna Maria Friman, Linn Andrea Fuglseth, Torunn
Østrem Ossum: voices; Birger Mistereggen: percussion                                                             

Fourth ECM album by the Scandinavian vocal trio released for their tenth anniversary

Well received everywhere, the Trio Mediaeval has been especially successful in the US, where it’s been welcomed in the market niche vacated by the Anonymous 4

• Highly enjoyable and melodious music the singers have loved and performed for many years

• Elegant arrangements for three voices with the percussion adding a particular archaic flavour

• Performances full of vigour and spontaneity from three charming and communicative young artists

• Attractive video footage (interview/performances) available

• Touring includes three English concerts just after release –

• in Cambridge (Trinity Chapel, 27 Oct), Sheffield (Firth Hall, 30 Oct) and York
  (Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, 31 Oct)

The Music:   Norway’s varied folk music heritage has inspired musicians from different backgrounds, a phenomenon that can be observed on numerous ECM jazz releases from Jan Garbarek to Frode Haltli and Christian Wallumrød. Since their start in 1997 the Norwegian-Swedish vocal trio has successfully included Norwegian folksongs in their concerts which usually consist of mediaeval and contemporary polyphony. The pieces recorded in the generous acoustics of the Austrian monastery St Gerold stem from regions such as Vestfold or Telemark and many of these humorous ballads, hymns, psalms, love songs and lullabies are popular tunes which have been sung by the great folksingers of the country. The Trio’s new record pays tribute to the (now disbanded) all-female Norwegian folk trio Tiriltunga but most of the arrangements were made by Linn Andrea Fugleseth and Tone Krohn, a folksinger from Linn’s hometown Sanderfjord in Vestfold. The trio’s decision to include some percussion not only widens the sonic spectrum of the group but also adds a powerful rhythmic element. For the trio this project offers the opportunity to sing an entire programme without scores in complete freedom and spontaneity – resulting in singing of warmth, charm and youthful vitality.  

Artist Background:  Founded in Oslo in 1997, the Norwegian-Swedish trio, two sopranos and a mezzo, were taken up the following year as protégés of the Hilliard Ensemble. Hilliard tenor John Potter was especially excited by their potential and brought the group to ECM, acting as producer or co-producer on all their discs. Subsequently Words of the Angel (461 7822) and Soir, dit-elle (476 1241) soared to the top of the Billboard and Amazon classical charts. Stella Maris (476 3021) released in 2005 juxtaposed 12^th/13^th century music from England and France and a new mass by South Korean composer Sungji Hong. Recent projects have included collaborations with the Hilliard Ensemble and John Potter and concerts with the Tord Gustavsen trio. Norwegian drummer and percussionist Birger Mistereggen trained as a classical and jazz musician and is one of Norway’s foremost specialists in ‘folk’ percussion.