Petra Bjørkhaug - IMPRESSIONS - Organ improvisations and hymns in Nidaros Cathedral (2025) [Hi-Res]

For almost 1,000 years, Nidaros Cathedral has made a strong impression on people. The pilgrim came in the Middle Ages, after a long and tiring journey with his personal history. In the same way, the modern pilgrim comes to the sanctuary today to seek something greater than himself. In all these years, music has been there, enveloping people and giving tones to the divine. In Impressions we set these impressions to music; through timeless improvisations, with old and new hymn tunes and compositions.

We have included some of the beautiful and expressive melodies from Olavsmusikken in the compositions "Ljoset", as well as the old melody of the Marian hymn "Ave maris stella". Folk tunes are also a central element in church singing through many centuries, and for us it was natural to bring out some of the most well-known and beloved hymns. What the old texts have in common is that with their rich imagery they have been and are an inspiration for musicians and composers in different times.

The organ music on was recorded in its entirety on the newly restored Steinmeyer organ of Nidaros Cathedral. The instrument is a gift to today's pilgrims in Nidaros Cathedral, where the organ music can envelop the people who enter the cathedral with a wealth of timbres and expressions. Impressions reproduces some of what one can experience in Nidaros Cathedral – a cathedral that has made an impression on people for almost 1000 years!

The recording of "Impressions" is supported by Nidaros Cathedral Parish, the Norwegian Composers' Association, Trondheim Municipality and the Fund for Performing Artists.

Petra Bjørkhaug, Steinmeyer organ in Nidaros Catehdral, Trondheim Norway