Amulets NOXAS Saxophone Quartet, Berit Norbakken & Nordic Voices

• Ørjan Matre (b. 1979): Six Orphic Amulets for vocal sextet and saxophone quartet:
• 1 Matre: Six Orphic Amulets for vocal sextet and saxophone quartet: No. 1, Brimo! Brimo! 05:01
• 2 Matre: Six Orphic Amulets for vocal sextet and saxophone quartet: No. 2, Boneplates of Olbia 05:04
• 3 Matre: Six Orphic Amulets for vocal sextet and saxophone quartet: No. 3, ...a child of Earth and starry Heaven 03:58
• 4 Matre: Six Orphic Amulets for vocal sextet and saxophone quartet: No. 4, Golden plate of Thurii 1 05:21
• 5 Matre: Six Orphic Amulets for vocal sextet and saxophone quartet: No. 5, Golden plate of Thurii 2 06:14
• 6 Matre: Six Orphic Amulets for vocal sextet and saxophone quartet: No. 6, Chaconne – The lake of Mnemosyne 09:41
• Jon Øivind Ness (b. 1968): Wræþþ for saxophone quartet:
• 7 Ness: Wræþþ for saxophone quartet 14:33
• Karin Rehnqvist (b. 1957): Ock av törnen, lament for saxophone quartet and female voice:
• 8 Rehnqvist: Ock av törnen, lament for saxophone quartet and female voice: No. 1, Klagosång 07:02
• 9 Rehnqvist: Ock av törnen, lament for saxophone quartet and female voice: No. 2, Jag lyfter blicken 04:19
• 10 Rehnqvist: Ock av törnen, lament for saxophone quartet and female voice: No. 3, Måste ock av törnen vara 02:36
• 11 Rehnqvist: Ock av törnen, lament for saxophone quartet and female voice: No. 4, Rädda mig ur dyn 04:04
• Total Runtime 01:07:53

Info for Amulets

NoXaS Saxophone Quartet was established in 2007 and since then has distinguished itself as a high-quality ensemble with several collaborations with elite Norwegian musicians and ensembles. NoXaS has cemented its position as a significant asset to the Norwegian music scene.

Since its inception, the quartet has maintained an ongoing dialogue with composers regarding the development of new works for this exciting form of ensemble. This has resulted in several new pieces specifically commissioned for NoXaS. The quartet has collaborated with composers such as Olav Anton Thommessen, Orjan Matre, Jon Oivind Ness, Ketil Hvoslef, and Henrik Hellstenius.

Formed in 1996, the six-voice a cappella group Nordic Voices is comprised of graduates from the Norwegian Academy of Music and the Norwegian Academy of Opera who, in addition to their singing backgrounds, have a broad range of experience from choral conducting to teacher training and composition.

Their close work together with a wide range of composers have led to more than 70 world premieres. Nordic Voices master a wide spectrum of musical styles, ranging from folk music and renaissance music to new works commissioned by composers from all over the world.

In concert, Nordic Voices often presents programme concepts revolving around themes, for example, historical figures or textual links, bringing the music to life in sometimes unexpected ways.

Berit Norbakken is one of Scandinavia's leading sopranos. Her versatility and flexibility of voice have allowed her to master a repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary, including folk music. She regularly appears in performances of oratorios, passions, and masses, and continues her work with leading ensembles, orchestras and conductors in major concert halls all over the world.

Her many recordings have garnered high critical acclaim both in Norway and abroad. In particular her recording of Arriaga's vocal music, together with the BBC Philharmonic under the baton of Juanjo Mena has received glowing reviews internationally.

Berit Norbakken, soprano
Nordic Voices
NOXAS Saxophone Quartet

Berit Norbakken
is one of Scandinavia’s leading sopranos. Her versatility and flexibility of voice have allowed her to master a repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary, including folk music. She regularly appears in performances of oratorios, passions, and masses, and continues her work with leading ensembles, orchestras and conductors in major concert halls all over the world.

Her many recordings have garnered high critical acclaim both in Norway and abroad. In particular her recording of Arriaga’s vocal music, together with the BBC Philharmonic under the leading of Juanjo Mena, has received glowing reviews internationally.

Norbakken appeared at the Sydney Opera House, Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, at the Cincinnati May Festival as well as in several programs touring throughout Europe.

As a research fellow through The Norwegian Artistic Research Program, she has worked closely with the Swedish composer Karin Rehnqvist.

Other parts include Marzelline (Beethoven/Fidelio), Rosina (Rossini/Il Barbiere de Sevilla) Balkis (Haydn/L’Incontro Improvviso), Aci (Händel/Aci, Galatea e Polifemo), Adonis (Scarlatti/Il Giardino di Amore), Abel (Scarlatti/ Il Primo Omicidio), first soprano in Mozart/Great Mass in C Minor, Mozart/Exsultate, jubilate, Haydn/Schöpfung, Haydn/Jahreszeiten and Mendelssohn/Elias.

Upcoming engagements includes Bach/John Passion, Bach/Matthew Passion, Britten/Les Illuminations, Ligeti/Mysteries of the Macabre, Rehnqvist/And also thorns, Rehnqvist/Timpanum Songs - Herding Calls, Grieg/Haugtussa, Mendelssohn/Elias and Haydn/The Creation.

NOXAS Saxophone Quartet
saxophone quartet founded in 2007 and has since then, marked themselves at a quality ensemble with several partners among the elites of norwegian musicians and ensembles. Among the main goals of the quartet are performing the great repertoire for the ensemble form, and to build new repertoire i cooperation with composers and other performers. Since the start of the ensemble, NoXaS has been in continuous dialogue with composers wanting to develop new pieces for the quartet. This has resulted in several new pieces dedicated to NoXaS. 


The musicians in the quartet: Soprano saxophone: Lars Lien Alto saxophone: Ida Kristine Zimmermann Olsen Tenor saxophone: Roger Andreas Holme Baritone saxophone:

This album contains no booklet.