London Festival of Baroque Music
Rímur
Trio Mediæval and Arve Henriksen
Smith Square Hall. 30 October 2026

Trio Mediæval are a Scandinavian trio that I have reviewed and followed since their very first UK concert, nearly 30 years ago. The unique blend of traditional music from their homelands and mainstream medieval and contemporary music is always inventive and beautifully performed. These two elements combined in this concert when they joined with jazz trumpeter Arve Henriksen in a programme based on their 2016 ECM recording. The roots of the CD go back to summers spent by the Dalsfjorden on the Norwegian coast, where most of the music for the recording, and this concert was created. Inspired by Icelandic sagas, chants, folk songs, religious hymns and fiddle tunes, the quartet arranged songs combining improvisation, mediaeval and traditional music from Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

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