Karlsen Meditatio œuvres pour orgue et pour violoncelle Ulsrud Waaler Waervagen - ACD5079

Beautiful musical meditations over biblical texts. Recorded on the outstanding new Kuhn organ in rich acoustics of the renowned Uranienborg church. Three great works from the hand of Norwegian composer Kjell Mørk Karlsen. Kjell Mørk Karlsen"s organ meditations are a cross between a simple musical interpretation of that Sunday"s Bible text and a musical form more suitable for concerts. The mediations can be used as separate movements, setting a distinct stamp on a service. Both the organ meditations and the cello sonata on this recording are founded on earlier musical traditions, and Mørk Karlsen's own voice is easily discerned by the warmth and commitment in the tonal language. While Messiaen"s nine meditations, La Nativité du Seigneur, revolves around the theme of Christmas, Kjell Mørk Karlsen (1947) in his seven Meditations on Christ has taken the life of Jesus, dwelling on important and decisive events. The Meditations on Revelations for organ is programme music in a traditional Romantic sense. The composer presupposes that the listener has read the Bible verses given in the individual headings, so that these may influence him while he is experiencing the musical content. To a certain extent, the text governs the development, but without detriment to the musical form. Kjell Mørk Karlsen has used the biblical tragedy as a starting point for a Lamento, an elegy. The expressive introductory theme, which grows in intensity and stretches to heaven, portrays Jephthah"s prayer and promise to God. With this work Kjell Mørk Karlsen wanted to create "an echo of history"s eternal lament from all those innocents who have had to suffer".