The Norwegian Army Band is based in Bergen, and is a professional wind band that consists of 28 musicians. The NABB is particularly celebrated for its performances and recordings of contemporary music, particularly those of its native Norway.
Peter Szilvay is a much sought after young Norwegian conductor who has worked with many national and international orchestras. He has also recorded several world premieres with orchestras like the Oslo Philharmonics and the Norwegian Radio Orchestra.
Following last year’s critically acclaimed “Bad News in the Desert”, the band’s new album features a seminal work from the middle of the 20th century, Olivier Messiaen’s “Oiseaux Exotiques” in a special arrangement for piano and wind band. The soloist is the pianist Håkon Austbø. Also included are works by two contemporary Norwegian composers, Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen and Eivind Buene. Aagaard-Nilsen’s “Winds of Changes” incorporates the Bach chorale “Ach, Gott, erhör mein seufzen und wehklagen” and was written as a response to the 9/11 attacks. Buene’s “Topographics”, a percussion concerto that features Eirik Raude, is a musical representation of different landscapes.
Click on any of the works listed above for alternative recordings.
