Based on text/music from 11th century (Italian sacred music, English carols) to modern days (eAndreas Jorg. min, Andrew Smith), Trio Mediaeval, three Scandinavian women, makes music that is highly relaxing and purifying through its unusual serenity and elevated clarity.

Up to a certain point. Beyond that, one needs to have developed a special interest in polyphony – as well as in medieval love-lyric – to fully appreciate the album’s subtle variations. If not, the risk is that the listening experience becomes kind of monophonic. But for a good half an hour, at minimum, there’s plenty of material to enjoy the album’s atmosphere, and let the mind calm down.

The album is titled Aquilions, a metaphor for a Northern wind.

The disc makes a nice test for the speaker’s tonal balance: it should be not too thick to retain music’s transparency, nor too light to avoid one-dimensionality and in order to support the singers’ lower vocal register.

Warmly recommended for autumn nights, among other nights.

Trio Medieval:
Anna Maria Friman: voice, hardanger fiddle, melody chimes
Linn Andrea Fuglseth: voice, portable organ, melody chimes
Berit Opheim: voice, melody chimes