Norrøn

The trio Norrøn consists of Pia Nygaard (violin), Nina Veng (flute, alt-flute and offerdalspibe) and Anja priest Mikkelsen (clarinet and bass clarinet), and their interesting musical concept - cf. plate title - is improvisation over a fixed melody. The pieces are composed by the trio members or are in some cases traditional. The name Norrøn refers to the repertoire, based on the "Nordic folk". An inclusive concept that gives deftly many improvisational opportunities. The musical idiom sounds, however, in this listener's ears as harboring a preponderance of the inspiration of our eastern neighbor - and certainly not that much from the domestic traditions. It may be because the musicians are most like themselves in the direction of not-so-Danish-sounding musical dialects. It could have been a fresh challenge to use it improvisational concept in a shaky Danish polka or galloping hopsa, but that's not how the repertoire is put together, and everything is fine with it. The improvisations is mainly to expand with new melody lines, while the harmonic patterns generally consisting especially when Anja priest puts the bottom of the bass clarinet. It is natural to expand with a voice in the third above the melody, and it also happens in several places. But the most interesting sequences occurs when the basic musical theory is put aside, the musicians turn the hair out, and freedom of flying. Only then felt the concept's magical possibilities for real, and the moments immediately rare. Norrøns idea is fresh and very welcome in the folk music otherwise often rule-bound world, but it is also demanding. It is natural that they need to start their experiments in partially safe environment. Study situation may have also promoted the caution, but it will be interesting to hear them move further out, where they can not bottoms. Similarly, they would free up more of a focus on tone rows and better let go of wildness, passion and other life-giving properties. Their musical skills rows significantly to it.