Terje Winge - Jan F. Christiansen: Missa da Tromba (2008) [SACD]

The tradition of pairing trumpet and organ goes back a long way; it is, however, only in recent years that Norwegian composers have found the inspiration to write concert music for this combination of instruments. In addition to the fanfares and festivity often associated with the trumpet, today's composers also exploit the instrument's potential for expressing tender, meditative moods; in this recording represented by music of Jon Laukvik, Kjell Mørk Karlsen, Ketil Vea and Egil Hovland.
Opening this recital of Norwegian music for trumpet and organ is Kjell Mork Karlsen's 3rd Chorale Sonata which, as the title suggests, is based (loosely) upon a hymn tune (Nun freut euch, liebe Christen g'mein) and is broadly neo-Classical in nature. The following "Lamento" by Jon Laukvik is clearly influenced by Messiaen and provokes thoughts of what might have been had the great man conceived of this instrumental combination.
The central work from which the disc takes its title is Karlsen's "Missa da Tromba" and is in 4 movements (Introitus, Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus). Again, much of the music is reminiscent of other, greater minds - in this case those as diverse as Alain and Richard Strauss. Ketil Vea's "Sonata" follows and contains more originality of voice than that which precedes it but is still very far from being genuinely memorable. Closing the disc is the finest work, Egil Hovland's "Cantus X" which manages to work with a 'tonal' 12 tone row!...