2L Archive
Lux: Nidaros Cathedral Girls Choir, Trondheim Soloists – 2L Records
What a fine sounding disc from the always reliable 2L label. Lux is a collection of three compositions.
Henning Sommerro: Ujamaa & The Iceberg – Trondheim Symphony Orchestra – 2L
Another sonic blockbuster from 2L
“So is my love” – Ensemble 96 – 2L
A gorgeous album in typically gorgeous 2L sound.
Utopias: Radical Interpretations of Iconic Musical Works for Percussion – Kjell Tore Innervik – 2L
Contemporary percussion music wrapped in an exquisite recording!
Minor Major – Oslo String Quartet – Beethoven: String Quartet No. 11; Schubert: String Quartet No. 15 – 2L
2L can always be counted on for exceptional audiophile pleasing fidelity, and they always seem to get the music right in terms of performance and selection.
BRATLIE: Vers la Lumière – Bratlie, piano; David Bratlie – electro-acoustic transitions – 2L
JENS HARALD BRATLIE: Vers la Lumière – Bratlie, piano; David Bratlie – electro-acoustic transitions [track list fellows] 2L 2L-132-SACD Pure Audio Blu-ray + multichannel SACD, DTS-HD MA 192kHz/24 bit 5.1, DTS-HD MA 96kHz/24 bit, PCM 192kHz/24-bit stereo, Dolby Atmos, 9.1 Auro 3D, mShuttle: stereo MQA 96kHz + MP3 TT: 57:00 (Blu-ray is region free) (12/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: A piano/electronic combination that largely succeeds. Vers la LUMIÈRE is an interesting disc from the folks at 2L. It’s a collection of classical piano music, with each work featuring a ‘transitional work’ by pianist Jens Harald Bratlie’s son David. What we get is piano music interspersed with electro-acoustic music. On paper, such a hybrid program should not work, but actually, to my ear, it works quite well and it makes for an interesting musical journey. The classical pieces were chosen for their moodiness and introspection, including works by Liszt, Messiaen, and Bibalo. Between them are three short pieces by the younger Bratlie. The standard repertoire is played in lovely fashion. Each work follows nicely from the previous one. The more contemporary transitions don’t interrupt the program, but in fact enhance it, as was the original intent. The disc itself is a […]
“UR” – Music by EVA HOLM FOOSNÆS, ODD JOHAN OVEROYE, ØYVIND JOHAN EIKSUND, MARTIN EIKESET KOREN – Eva Holm Foosnæs (cond.)/ Orchestra/Ensemble Kammerkoret Aurum – 2L
UR – Music by EVA HOLM FOOSNÆS, ODD JOHAN OVEROYE, ØYVIND JOHAN EIKSUND, MARTIN EIKESET KOREN – Eva Holm Foosnæs (cond.)/ Orchestra/Ensemble Kammerkoret Aurum – 2L -129 multichannel 5.1 SACD, 44:46 (01/06/17) ****: Another interesting release from 2L in Norway. The recordings consist exclusively of commissioned works, written by composers in affiliation with the musical community in Trondheim. The composers have different backgrounds and tonal language, providing this disc with a complex and complementary repertoire. Composers featured include Odd Johan Overoye, Oyvind Johan Eiksund, Martin Eikeset Koren, Geir Dohlie Gjerdsjo, and Eva Holm. While the styles have tonal variations, the individual pieces all work very well together, and from piece to piece there is nothing jarring. These are all vocal works, with the last work Brieflabben, adding some percussion. The recording, as is always the case with 2L, is spectacular and demo worthy. The voices are well-placed in space, and the entire 5.1 sound field offers voices, not just ambiance from the rear. The location of singers is well established in the recording, even though the recording was in a large church space in Norway. When I listened to the stereo version the ‘live’ sound of the recording was bled away, […]
THORESEN: Sea of Names – Music by LASSE THORESEN – Maiken Mathisen Schau, flute/Trond Schau, p. – 2L
THORESEN: Sea of Names – Music by LASSE THORESEN – Maiken Mathisen Schau, flute/Trond Schau, p. – 2L multichannel SACD 2l-127 (11/18/16) *** 1/2: Contemporary chamber music from Norway, well-played and recorded. Lasse Thoresen is a well-known composer of contemporary Scandinavian music, inspired by a culture rich in a tradition of experimentation. His chamber music for flute and piano is here performed by Maiken and Trond Schau with virtuosity and precision that brings this music to life. Thoresen is Professor of Composition at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. He began composing at age 15. This disc is a compilation of works composed between 1976 and 2011. Some of the works are spiritual. Other represent the Norwegian countryside. Thoresen is not a name most western music fans will know, but his works as presented here are worth a thoughtful listen. The various pieces work well together as a full program. The audio is up to the usual 2L standards, even though the program material is not a sonic spectacular with a full orchestra or chorus. Even then, the dynamics of the piano and details of the flute come across quite realistically. The session was recorded at the Sofienberg Church […]
European Tour – Nordic Brass Ensemble – Music of DOWLAND, PRAETORIUS, HOLBORNE et al – 2L (Blu-ray & SACD)
European Tour – Nordic Brass Ensemble – Music of DOWLAND, PRAETORIUS, HOLBORNE et al – 2L-128-SABD – Pure Audio Blu-ray + multichannel SACD, DTS-HD MA 192kHz/24 bit 5.1, PCM 192kHz/24 bit stereo, mShuttle: MQA 96kHz + MP3 (11/18/16) [Dist. by Naxos] ****: Beautifully rendered recording of Brass Ensemble music. This is a most agreeable disc with a collection of brass performances by the Nordic Brass Ensemble. The group was founded in 1993 by a group of brass musicians who shared a strong desire to make chamber music together. From the start, the ensemble has focused on developing its own musical ideas and concepts of sound. By exploiting the different instruments’ special qualities and combining them in new and unusual ways, and by extensively using mutes, percussion, some non-standard instruments, the NBE is making a name for itself with a very unique approach to brass music. The music performed is traditional, with composers like Holborne, Dowland and Gesualdo. The arrangements were written for the group, and the addition of percussion, while unexpected, is quite persuasive to this listener. Since this is a 2L recording, I expected it to be good sonically, and I was not disappointed. The microphones are well back […]
RATKJE: “And Sing” – Cikada with the Oslo Sinfonietta with vocals by Maja S.K. Ratkje – 2L
RATKJE: “And Sing” – Cikada with the Oslo Sinfonietta with vocals by Maja S.K. Ratkje – 2L multichannel SACD and Pure Audio Blu-ray – 2L-124-SABD (9/30/16), 44:00 [Distr. by Naxos] **: Ultra-contemporary music that will not be pleasant for all listeners. I hardly know how to review this disc from 2L. It contains two works for vocalist and instrumental group. Most of both tracks consists of odd vocalizations, and frankly wailing sounds that left me unsettled and uncomfortable. I love contemporary classical music, but I think this short collection will be a little far out for most of our readers, this reviewer included. This album interleaves the composer’s own voice as a performer with the ensemble sound of Cikada and the Oslo Sinfonietta. In And sing while thou on pressed flowers dost sleep the voice is pre-recorded, and the sound files are played through speakers placed among the musicians. In Concerto for Voice, the composer is performing live a solo part for amplified voice, using much wider dynamics and improvisation. While performing has influenced and inspired Maja S. K. Ratkje’s composing, the opposite is also true – even though it’s too simple to say that she improvises like a composer […]
“Himmelrand” – Hymns from the new Hymnal of the Church of Norway- The Uranienborg Vocal Ens. – 2L
“Himmelrand” – The Uranienborg Vocal Ens. /Elisabeth Holte/ Inger-Lise Ulsrud, organ – 2L 126-SABD – Pure Audio Blu-ray + multichannel SACD, DTS-HD MA 192kHz/24 bit 5.1, DTS-HD MA 96kHz/24 bit, PCM 192kHz/24 bit stereo, Dolby Atmos, 9.1 Auro 3D, mShuttle: stereo MQA 96kHz + MP3 (9/30/16) TT: 61:00 [Dist. by Naxos] ****: Lovely music with a stunning surround recording. Himmelrand is a recent release from 2L and it’s yet another sonic treat from the Norwegian label. In 2013, The Church of Norway adopted their new Hymnal. The goal of this new hymnal was to hold firmly to the traditions of earlier hymn books, and two, bring a modern spin to them with new harmonic ideas. This Nordic hymns are an important part of Scandinavian heritage. The disc offers contains a lovely collection of hymns performed by the Uranienborg Vocal Ensemble conducted by Elisabeth Holte. The group formed in 2002. Besides frequent performances in Norway, the group also tours Europe and the United States. Since this is a 2L disc, it’s reasonable to expect a stunning recording, and that is exactly what we get. The disc offers various formats. A Blu-ray audio disc, with a choice of DTS 5.1 audio, a […]
TARTINI: “Secondo Natura” – Baroque violin & Hardanger fiddle, cello & harpsichord – 2L Blu-ray
TARTINI: “Secondo Natura” – Sigurd Imsen, Baroque violin and Hardanger fiddle – Tormod Dalen, Baroque cello/ Hans Knut Sveen, harpsichord – 2L 112-PABD Pure Audio Blu-ray 5.1 surround & stereo in DXD Digital 352kHz/24bit, 50 mins. (2/26/16) (Dist. by Naxos) *****: Another totally unique hi-res recording from Norway. No doubt gearing up for the 250th birthday celebrations in 2020, the flood of outstanding and important Giuseppe Tartini releases continues with this eerie, fantastical recording of the Devil’s Sonata surrounded by two endearing Sonatas from Op. 1; the latter, which is a charming Pastorale in the charming key of A major, is played on a Norwegian Hardanger folk fiddle with its scordatura tuning suggesting country diversions and its drone strings imitating bagpipes. Not surprisingly, it’s just another curiously essential release on the Norwegian 2L audiophile label, lighting up candles for Tartini in advance with a recording for the ages haunted by musicological ghosts. The recording comes as a stunningly beautiful Pure Audio Blu-ray disc, or as a download, either from Amazon as an MP3, or hi-def, from HDtracks.com. Tartini would have loved it. This release is, in fact, an audiophile delight for a number of niche audiences including lovers of early […]
“Mezzotints” = STALE KLEIBERG: String Quartet No. 2; Ruf und Nachklang (piano); Ashes (violin solo); Piano Trio No 2; Violin and Cello Sonata; Sonanze e cadenza – Soloists – 2L Blu-ray & SACD
Hard to describe, but once you listen, easy to understand. “Mezzotints” = STALE KLEIBERG: String Quartet No. 2; Ruf und Nachklang (piano); Ashes (violin solo); Piano Trio No 2; Violin and Cello Sonata; Sonanze e cadenza (violin and piano) – Marianne Thorsen, violin/ Oyvind Gimse, cello/ Bard Monsen, violin/ Ole Wuttudal, viola/ Jorgen Larsen, piano – 2L multichannel Pure Audio Blu-ray + multichannel SACD + downloads 115 (2 discs), 70:08 [Distr. by Naxos] *****: Stale Kleiberg is an extraordinary composer from any angle you care to look at. He is not a slave to the high modernists — far from it as his music is tonally secure, though not beholden to any traditional systems—yet one hears echoes of the most advanced of modern musings in his work, but bent to his advantage and definitely subservient to it. His style is indebted to the past in its sense of thematic sharing and dependency among each instrument. But the intimacy that comes from the quietest of linkages shines in each of these pieces, personal statements that make no waste of any note. I wish I could be more definitive in terms of describing Kleiberg’s overall stylistic tendencies, but I’m afraid that would […]
********* MULTICHANNEL DISC OF THE MONTH ********* Under the Wing of the Rock – Music by BRITTEN, BEAMISH, KRAGGERUD, NORDHEIM AND THOMMESSEN – 2L
Infrequently heard music beautifully recorded.
“Fingergull – Schola Sanctae Sunnivae/ Anne Kleivset – 2L
A unique office adorned with some outstanding chant in fabulous sound. “Fingergull – In festo susceptionis sanguinis Domini” – Schola Sanctae Sunnivae/ Anne Kleivset – 2L multichannel SACD 2L 114, 78:17 [Distr. by Naxos] *****: Don’t be put off by the strange name of this disc—“Fingergull” is not some kind of weird bird, but instead the name of a golden ring, finger-gold, that contained a drop of Christ’s blood. You heard right—there are indeed extent relics in European Christendom, what’s left of it anyway, especially in Bruges, Belgium, of drops of Christ’s blood. There is some historical basis for this, as Joseph of Arimathea was said to have preserved the Precious Blood after he had washed the dead body of Christ. But with the heavy traffic of relics during the middle ages and during the time of the Crusades, it has become almost impossible to verify any of this. Bruges, as mentioned, continues to have an active yearly celebration in the Basilica of the Holy Blood, so despite some suggestions in the notes to this release to the contrary, this is still an active and very much living tradition. So what is this release about? Simple—the city of Nidaros, now […]
Song Circus, “Anatomy of Sound” = a capella vocal sextet from Norway – 2L
Song Circus, “Anatomy of Sound” = RUBEN SVERRE GJERTSEN: Landscape with Figures; OLE-HENRIK MOE: Persefone – Song Circus – 2L-117 SABD, 56:59 SACD + 5.0 DTS audio-only Blu-ray (11/13/15) **1/2: Strange, spooky and not for everyone. Song Circus is an acclaimed a capella vocal sextet from Norway that specializes in works and improvisations using the human voice in a sort of architectural way; to build sound environments that are very textural and not relying regularly on the emphasis of harmonies, pitches and melodies. In other words, their work, impressive though it is, is a bit of a throwback to the sounds of Stockhausen, Ligeti and some electronic sound fields added to augment the mood and texture. This is, by and large, very abstract stuff that is best appreciated by listening to the intended vocal textures and bits of harmonies and range that creep in somewhat unexpectedly. Song Circus has worked a lot with composer Ruben Sverre-Gjertsen, who creates the electronics as well as sculpts and edits bits of texts, before; in the case of the present Landscape with Figures, the texts are from poetry by Damian Vitanza and James Joyce. Don’t expect to hear extended stretches of prose set to […]
Audio News for October 16, 2015
Chromecast Audio is 1/10th the Price of Sonos; An Immersive Audio Listening Experience; Pioneer Has First MQA-Ready Mobile Digital Audio Player
MAGNE AMDAHL : Astrognosia (1991); Aesop (2012) – Dennis Storhøi/ Norwegian Radio Orch./ Ingar Heine Bergby – 2L Pure Audio Blu-ray 2L-110-SABD + multichannel SACD
Beautifully recorded fare from Norway from the lighter end of the musical spectrum.
SPES – Cantus /Tove Ramlo-Ystad, cond./ Frode Fjellheim, joik and synthesizers / Snorre Bjerck, percussion – 2L Pure Audio Blu-ray + SACD
A lovely collection of Scandinavian sacred music in an exceptional recording.
“Magnificat” = KIM ANDRE ARNESEN: Magnificat; AARON JAY KERNIS: Musica Celestis; OLA GJEILO: Tundra; Song of the Universal – Nidaros Cathedral Girls Choir/ Trondheim Soloists/ Anita Brevik – 2L Pure Audio Blu-ray + SACD
Another 2L marvel, and some wonderful discoveries too.
CHRISTIANIALIV – Works from Norway’s Golden Age of Wind music – The Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces/ Ole Kristian Ruud – Works of SVENDSEN, HANSEN, OLSEN, EVENSEN – 2L audio-only Blu-ray + SACD
Great sound and music but a bit of a muddled program.
Zubin Mehta and Güher & Süher Pekinel in Concert, DVD+CD (2012/2014)
Another fine piano duo video from the Pekinel sisters; plus a CD of some of the program.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
