Anne Hytta hardanger fiddle
Sigrun Eng cello
Amund Sjølie Sveen vibraphone
All music by Anne Hytta, except track 2 by Sigrun Eng
Musical arrangements by Slagr
Produced by Nils Økland
Engineered by Audun Strype
Recorded in Sofienberg Church, Oslo, Norway, June 2009
Published by Edition Ozella
The minimalist chamberfolk trio from Oslo blend the brittle string stirrings of Norwegian tradition with the nocturnal eroticism of Jazz, the rhythmical patterns of Steve Reich and the sparse canvases of Morton Feldman.
Recordings for these slowly evolving pieces took place at the Sofienberg Church in Oslo, renowned for its cathedral yet clear and intimate sound and under the auspices of producer Nils Økland, himself a famous commuter between the worlds of Folk and contemporary classical music.
The focus of the sessions lay on evoking 'contemplative, meditative' moods. Accordingly, Straum, stille ('Stream, Silence') has turned out an otherworldly and unique blend between acoustic soundscapes and ambient songwriting.
Slagr: Old Norse word for tune or melody. Derived from the verb slá (to hit), it refers to the action of hitting, plucking or strumming the strings of an instrument in order to create tones. References to particular tunes and melodies can be found throughout Norse literature (Rammeslagr, Gunnarslagr).‘To hit the strings' is an expression still found in many cultures all over the world.
straum: flow, stream
stille: still, quiet, tranquil
