Aurum

It says a lot about violinist Gjermund Larsen that he has been a significant performer with top Norwegian folk band Majorstuen and has also been a member of the Christian Wallumrød’s outstanding contemporary music ensemble. Fellow musicians across the generations are unswerving in their praise for this young performer and composer. His trio’s latest release displays characteristically beautiful melodies, which soar heavenwards with a silvery warmth. Andreas Utnem plays keyboards and Sondre Meisfjord is on bass: two musicians who perhaps bring the intensity and depth we’ve become accustomed to with, for example, the Tord Gustavsen Trio. One of Norway’s top percussionists Helge Norbakken also guests to great effect on three numbers. Larsen makes the music on this CD completely his own and displays the ease with which he can move between genres: he summons up the greatness of Norwegian folk legend Hans W Brimi in the haunting ‘Vals til Hans’, while penning his own impressive Bach pastiche on ‘Bachslått’. There’s music inspired by classical composer Heinrich Biber. There’s a majestic and moving bridal march written for friends, showing Larsen’s characteristic simplicity of expression and capturing an enormous depth of emotion and creativity. And prepare to shed a tear or two during the moving ‘Emanuelvals’, which ends the sequence, a tune written for a child born the same year as the music on this CD. This is an important release from someone playing a key role in creating the future of Norwegian music.