Singing Oboe by Trygve Aarvik

Egil Hovland, Kjell Habbestad, Johan Kvandal

Trygve Aarvik

Singing Oboe

Format: CD
Label: Lawo Classics
UPC: 7090020182087
Catnr: LWC 1186
Release date: 06 December 2019
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Label
Lawo Classics

UPC
7090020182087

Catalogue number
LWC 1186

Release date
06 December 2019

Album

Artist(s)

Composer(s)

About the album

THE SINGING OBOE
Trygve Aarvik has been one of Norway’s leading oboists for decades. As the solo oboist in the Norwegian Radio Orchestra between 1981 and 2018, he is also the most heard oboist in Norway, with countless radio and television broadcasts to his name – “everyone” has heard Trygve’s singing oboe. Now he steps forth as soloist in works by three central Norwegian composers.

The newest and most broadly conceived work among them is a concerto for oboe and orchestra by Kjell Habbestad, in addition to two hidden classics, “Cantus VIII” by Egil Hovland for oboe and string quartet and “Concerto for Oboe and Strings” by Johan Kvandal. The string quartet consists of Kolbjørn Holthe and Henrik Hannisdal on violins, Jon Sønstebø on viola and Frida Fredrikke Waaler Wærvågen on cello; Ingar Bergby is conducting.

In “Cantus VIII” we find the essence of several of Hovland’s many sources of inspiration: both post-war musical modernism and his close relations to sacred music. In Kvandal, the influence from folk music is more prominent, and Trygve is in particular given the opportunity to amaze with long, beautiful lines for the solo oboe in the second movement of the concerto. Kjell Habbestad’s concerto for oboe was ordered by Trygve Aarvik and had its world premiere with Aarvik and the Norwegian Radio Orchestra in 2012. For all his stylistic eclecticism, one finds that Habbestad is firmly based in the sacred music tradition, like Hovland. Habbestad draws inspiration from famous poems (Plath, Celan, Bjerke and more). The piece traverses through all the planes of human existences, from everyday life, through emotions and memories, and ends on a spiritual-religious level. With broad orchestral brushstrokes and a virtuoso solo part, the concerto is an important contribution to Norwegian music in general and to the oboe repertoire in particular.

Artist(s)

Trygve Aarvik (oboe)

Trygve Aarvik has for decades been one of Norway’s leading oboists. As principal oboe in the Norwegian Radio Orchestra (KORK) from 1981 to 2018, he had unprecedented exposure through countless radio and television performances. The listeners who have heard Trygve in his flawless solos in concerts and on popular radio and TV programmes have also witnessed that he, like the orchestra, is a musician who has mastered many genres, from classical and contemporary to pop, jazz and traditional folk music. The first seeds of Aarvik’s musical success were sown in Gjøvik in the orchestra and a wind quintet, prior to studying at the Norwegian Academy of Music. Upon completion of his studies, he immediately assumed the position of principal oboe with...

Trygve Aarvik has for decades been one of Norway’s leading oboists. As principal oboe in the Norwegian Radio Orchestra (KORK) from 1981 to 2018, he had unprecedented exposure through countless radio and television performances. The listeners who have heard Trygve in his flawless solos in concerts and on popular radio and TV programmes have also witnessed that he, like the orchestra, is a musician who has mastered many genres, from classical and contemporary to pop, jazz and traditional folk music.
The first seeds of Aarvik’s musical success were sown in Gjøvik in the orchestra and a wind quintet, prior to studying at the Norwegian Academy of Music. Upon completion of his studies, he immediately assumed the position of principal oboe with KORK, although he was periodically oboist in other Norwegian orchestras.
Aarvik was soloist with his own orchestra on numerous occasions (playing works of Richard Strauss, Johan Kvandal and Kjell Habbestad, among others), and he was an active chamber musician in the orchestra’s own chamber music series.

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Norwegian Radio Orchestra

The Norwegian Radio Orchestra is known as “the whole land’s orchestra” and is today regarded with a unique combination of respect and affection by its music-loving public. With its remarkably diverse repertoire, this is no doubt the orchestra most heard throughout the land – on the radio, television, and online, and at various diverse venues around the country.
It is a flexible orchestra, performing all from symphonic and contemporary classical music to pop, rock, folk, and jazz. Each year the orchestra performs together with internationally acclaimed artists at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, which is aired to millions of viewers worldwide. Those with whom the orchestra has collaborated in recent years include the Kaizers Orchestra, Mari Boine, Jarle Bernhoft, Diamanda Galàs, Renée Fleming, Andrew Manze, Anna Netrebko, and Gregory Porter.
The Norwegian Radio Orchestra was founded by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation in 1946. Its first conductor, Øivind Bergh, led the ensemble in a series of concerts from the broadcasting company’s main studio, establishing the basis of its popularity and securing its status as a national treasure. The orchestra continues to perform in the context of important media events. It is comprised of highly talented classical instrumentalists and yet its musical philosophy has remained the same: versatility, a light-hearted approach, curiosity for all kinds of music, and an unwillingness to pigeonhole musical styles. Petr Popelka is currently the orchestra’s Chief Conductor.

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Ingar Bergby (conductor)

Ingar Heine Bergby is one of Norway’s leading conductors, with many achievements within classical music, opera, and contemporary and crossover music. He has distinguished himself as an artist with the power to shape ideas and one with passion and dedication to his work. Bergby was born in 1964 in Sarpsborg, Norway into a musical family and began playing band music. He studied clarinet with Richard Kjelstrup at the Norwegian Academy of Music and later orchestra conducting there with Karsten Andersen, as well as with Jorma Panula at the Sibelius Academy. He received a degree in conducting with honours from the Norwegian Academy of Music in 1991.

Ingar Heine Bergby is one of Norway’s leading conductors, with many achievements within classical music, opera, and contemporary and crossover music. He has distinguished himself as an artist with the power to shape ideas and one with passion and dedication to his work.
Bergby was born in 1964 in Sarpsborg, Norway into a musical family and began playing band music. He studied clarinet with Richard Kjelstrup at the Norwegian Academy of Music and later orchestra conducting there with Karsten Andersen, as well as with Jorma Panula at the Sibelius Academy. He received a degree in conducting with honours from the Norwegian Academy of Music in 1991.

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Composer(s)

Johan Kvandal

Egil Hovland

Kjell Habbestad

KJELL HABBESTAD (b. 1955) is Professor of Music Theory and Composition at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo, of which he is a graduate in church music and composition. His catalog of works includes 97 opuses including dramatic works (operas, oratorios), orchestral works, solo instrument concertos, chamber works for various combinations of instruments, works for organ and piano, and a large number choral works. Habbestad’s larger works include The Moster Pageant, which has been performed annually in an amphitheater at Moster, Norway (on the island of Bømlo), since 1984; the oratorios One Night on Earth (1983) and Adam and Eve (2008); the operas Hans Egede’s Night (1995) and Nenia— in Memory of Fartein Valen (2014), all with texts by Paal-Helge...

KJELL HABBESTAD (b. 1955) is Professor of Music Theory and Composition at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo, of which he is a graduate in church music and composition. His catalog of works includes 97 opuses including dramatic works (operas, oratorios), orchestral works, solo instrument concertos, chamber works for various combinations of instruments, works for organ and piano, and a large number choral works.

Habbestad’s larger works include The Moster Pageant, which has been performed annually in an amphitheater at Moster, Norway (on the island of Bømlo), since 1984; the oratorios One Night on Earth (1983) and Adam and Eve (2008); the operas Hans Egede’s Night (1995) and Nenia— in Memory of Fartein Valen (2014), all with texts by Paal-Helge Haugen. Also worthy of mention are the opera Karlstad 1905 — A Page in the History of Civilization (2016), and the musical The Count of Monte Cristo (2011), both with librettos by the composer.

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