Anne Lise Berntsen & Nils Henrik Asheim // Kom regn // CD

The follow-up to the classic "Engleskyts" (Guardian Angels)

In a monastery in the small village of Maihingen in southern Germany you will find a wonder of an organ. Emperor Napoleon had it locked and sealed early in the 1800s. The emperor believed that the church had too much power in his newly occupied areas, hence he closed and sealed off a large number of churches and monasteries. As this particular organ stood in a monastery church that was used for secular purposes over the next 200 years, it was sadly neglected until a decade ago. Until then Napoleon's seal on the keyboard had remained untouched. Organ enthusiasts put a new motorized bellows on the old instrument and were pleasantly surprised by the instrument's sound, confirming what they suspected, that the Maihingen monastery church had a treasure of an organ.

The new record featuring Anne Lise Berntsen and Nils Henrik Asheim, "Kom regn", has been recorded at the monastery church in Maihingen, and is the first recording with this now famous organ.

Soprano Berntsen and organist Asheim pick up the thread they started with "Engleskyts" that was issued in 1994, continuing their free improvisational interpretations on Norwegian religious popular hymns. These include "Kom regn fra det høye" (Come rain from on high), "Akk Fader, la ditt ord, din ånd" (Oh Father let thy word, thy spirit), "I himmelen, i himmelen" (In heaven, In heaven), "Skulle jeg min Gud ei prise" (Shall I not praise my Lord?), "Far verden, far vel" (Goodbye Fair World) and "Fryd deg, du Kristi brud" (Rejoice thou bride of Christ), and they have all been recorded with their original texts and in interpretations that bridge the long spans of history from the origins of folk music to today's contemporary music.

Erik Hillestad is the recording engineer and producer.

Track list:

1. Maria hun er en jomfru ren                                                            5:27

2. Far, Verden, far vel                                                                        4:38

3. Christus, der Alting i Lave har sat                                                5:43

4. Skulde jeg min Gud ei prise                                                          3:27

5. Kom regn af de høye                                                                     7:20

6. Som tørstige Hjort monne skrige                                                 2:41

7. O Gud! efter dig mig forlænger                                                    3:28

8. I denne søde Jule-tiid                                                                   4:55

9. Fryd dig du Christi brud                                                                3:41

10. Vaag op og slae paa dine Strenge                                             4:33

11. Ak Fader! lad dit Ord og Aand                                                    3:23

12. I himmelen, i himmelen                                                               5:36