A BAROQUE REFLECTION WITH BERIT NORBAKKEN, HENNING KRAGGERUD AND THE ARCTIC PHILHARMONIC

Evening Hymn brings together soprano Berit Norbakken, violinist and artistic leader Henning Kraggerud, and the Arctic Philharmonic in a contemplative and emotionally rich journey through the Baroque repertoire. the recording presents a carefully curated selection of arias and sacred works that explore themes of twilight, longing, and spiritual introspection.

The album’s title track, Evening Hymn by Henry Purcell, sets the tone for a program that moves between the sacred and the secular, the intimate and the dramatic. The repertoire includes works by Purcell, Handel, Vivaldi, Monteverdi, and Merula—composers whose music captures the emotional spectrum of the human condition through the lens of the Baroque.

Highlights include Purcell’s Dido’s Lament, Handel’s Piangerò la sorte mia from Giulio Cesare, and Vivaldi’s Sonno, se pur sei sonno from Tito Manlio. These are complemented by lesser-known gems such as Monteverdi’s Ego flos campi and Merula’s Canzonetta Spirituale, offering listeners a rich and varied listening experience.

The musical partnership between Norbakken and Kraggerud is at the heart of this recording. Their collaboration, which began with a concert alongside the Arctic Philharmonic, has evolved into a dialogue marked by mutual sensitivity and artistic trust. Kraggerud, who also serves as the ensemble’s artistic leader, brings a nuanced and expressive approach to the violin, shaping the ensemble’s sound with clarity and warmth.

The album features Henry Purcell’s Evening Hymn, Dido’s Lament, and O Let Me Weep; George Frideric Handel’s Piangerò la sorte mia from Giulio Cesare and Verso già l’alma col sangue from Aci, Galatea e Polifemo; Antonio Vivaldi’s Sonno, se pur sei sonno from Tito Manlio and Ah ch’infelice sempre; Claudio Monteverdi’s Quel sguardo sdegnosetto and Ego flos campi; and Tarquinio Merula’s Folle è ben and Canzonetta Spirituale.