Trio Mediaeval - three Norwegian women whose singing produces “a sound of extraordinary and consoling beauty”, says the Boston Globe - offer a collection of polyphony from the medieval to the modern, titled after the North Wind 'Aquilonis’.

On this recording one can sense a reference in the title to the Nordic roots of the singers, as well as the bracing purity of their voices; moreover, the album’s repertoire travels from Iceland to Italy, from north to south like the Aquilonis wind. In creatively realising the music of one Saint Thorlak - who died in Iceland just before Christmas 1193 - Trio Mediaeval accompany their vocals with discreetly textural instrumentation.

The group has also arranged 12th-century Italian chant and sings 15th-century English carols, with timeless Scandinavian folk melodies in the air, too.

From our contemporary age come pieces by the Swede Anders Jormin (best known as a leading jazz bassist), American William Brooks and Englishman Andrew Smith. Former Hilliard Ensemble tenor John Potter, in his liner notes for ‘Aquilonis’, aptly describes Trio Mediaeval’s ability to “create a synthesis of sound and atmosphere...history and geography blending seamlessly”.

The album was recorded, like all Trio Mediaeval’s previous five, at the monastery of St Gerold in the Austrian Alps - in June 2014 with Manfred Eicher producing. It’s the first of the trio’s discs to feature soprano Berit Opheim, alongside Anna Maria Friman and Linn Andrea Fulsgeth.

Trio Mediaeval:
- Anna Maria Friman (voice, hardanger fiddle, melody chimes)
- Linn Andrea Fuglseth (voice, portable organ, melody chimes)
- Berit Opheim (voice, melody chimes)

Track Listing:
1. Vespers reponsory (From the Office of St Thorlak, C14, Iceland - arr. Trio Mediaeval)
2. Ama (Anders Jormin)
3. Ave rex angelorum (Carol, C15, England)
4. Ecce quod natura mutat sua jura (Carol, C15, England)
5. Ave maris stella (Andrew Smith)
6. Vespers antiphon and psalm I,II,III (From the Office of St Thorlak, C14, Iceland - arr. Trio Mediaeval)
7. Ioseph fili David (Andrew Smith)
8. Ave regina caelorum (Andrew Smith)
9. Alleluia: A newë work (Carol, C15, England)
10. Morgonljos (Anna M Friman / Linn A Fuglseth)
11. Vespers antiphon and psalm IV, V (From the Office of St Thorlak, C14, Iceland - arr. Trio Mediaeval)
12. Fammi cantar l'amor (Laude, C12, Italy - arr. Anna M Friman / Linn A Fuglseth)
13. Gud unde oss her at leve så (Melody: After Ola Vanberg, Norway Text: Unknown, arr. Berit Opheim)
14. Benedicti e llaudati (Laude, C12, Italy - arr. Anna M Friman / Linn A Fuglseth)
15. Klokkeljom (Trio Mediaeval)
16. Special antiphon (From the Office of St Thorlak, C14, Iceland)
17. Ingen vinner frem til den evige ro (Traditional)
18. Fryd dig, du Kristi brud (Traditional)
19. I hamrinum (Berit Opheim / Anna M Friman)
20. Vale, dulcis amice (William Brooks)