Oystein Sevag: 'Lacrimosa'

‘Lacrimosa’, the latest album from pianist and composer Øystein Sevåg conveys something of his Nordic approach to Western classical music, with more than a touch of jazz improvisation.

When I created Harmonious World in that unforgettable spring of 2020, I thought I would interview musicians and review music in the classical or jazz genres. I quickly realised that the distinction between genres is often delightfully blurred, and that is certainly the case with Øystein Sevåg’s Lacrimosa.

Sevåg describes this album as being for anyone in need of relief, inspiration, or a renewed belief in the future at a time when the world is struggling to find common ground. The title Lacrimosa, meaning ‘tear’, reflects the spirit of the project and the cover image - a NASA contribution - depicts Earth suspended in space, like a pearl, a drop, or a tear.

The ensemble gathered for this recording is global and more than impressive, led by Øystein Sevåg (piano) with Emily Hultmark (bassoon), Bendik Hofseth (sax), Sara Övinge (violin), Hanne Moe Skjelbred (viola), Gregor Riddell (cello), Elisa Herbig (cello), Mats Eilertsen (bass), Rune Arnesen (drums) and the North Macedonia Symphony Orchestra.

It’s rare to hear the bassoon take such a lead role, as it does on nearly all of the tracks on Lacrimosa, but it is deserving of that role in the hands of Emily Hultmark, particularly when it sits alongside the string section. Night on Earth is possibly the most ‘classical’ of the tunes and that combination of wind and strings is sublime.

One of the most beautiful tracks on the album and one that’s on a loop in my head is Love Continuum, which shows the composer’s skill in the classical and jazz genres. Sevåg’s piano morphs from soloist to accompanying Hultmark’s bassoon and then Hofseth’s resonant sax.

All the tracks on Lacrimosa were composed and arranged for this ensemble by Sevåg, and the collection seems intensely personal and dedicated to our planet. Listen to the whole album on Bandcamp.