The Staff Band, and Scola Cantorum has recorded a bouquet of Norwegian national music on Pure Audio Blu-ray. The label is 2L, and I've listened to it.

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Admittedly, this musical material is not a daily occurrence in my music system. Apart from occasional radio broadcasts, I think it must be around 40 years ago some of the music we now find on the record "ja, vi elsker" was playing on my turntable, and then it was Jimi Hendrix who accounted for a slightly divergent interpretation of Kongesangen on a borrowed copy of "Hendrix in the West." Or rather God Save The Queen (/ King), as it is a derivative from this song.

Nevertheless, most of the musical material here is certainly course very well known, preferably through plays in national celebrations. And the quality of the performance can be very charming, yet highly variable. Add a dose of tired legs and sore feet by not fully signed galla-shoes, and the starting point for a musical enjoyment is perhaps not quite optimal at all times.

With this new release we get the option to reset all this. What is often performed by the enthusiastic local neighborhood marching band, is here performed by two of the most professional ensembles in their categories. We speak of The Staff Band and the choir Scola Cantorum. Both are former Grammy Nominated respectively for the records La Voie Triomphale and Hymn To The Virgin. Both of course recorded on 2L.

The result is stunningly gorgeous designs of national songs and some other instrumental works with national character. It's an incredibly great precision in The Staff Band`s performance, and Scola Cantorum has magnificent choir performances. Together these two ensembles are creating music that will give a great musical experience, even for someone who basically are not very strongly connected to national band music.

Erik Fosnes Hansen has a very nice text in the booklet accompanying text, a text that is helping to enrich this release that has a strong relationship to the Constitution's 200th anniversary. In addition to providing a very good backdrop for the historical aspect of the music in this release, he gives some sound philisophical considerations that are very good and interesting, in which he points out that the band music in this format is created for reproduction in large outdoor venues, and they also always have a live performance with their characteristics and imperfections. And that an indoor controlled recording thus will be a demanding exercise. This is written as such a great and audiophile reflective analysis, that Mr. Fosnes Hansen hereby is invited to write for Audiophile.no, if one day he gets tired of writing those novels of his.

In the meantime, I just agree to that Morten Lindberg has succeeded very well in creating a sound reproduction that maintains transparency in an excellent way, and as always there is a strong dynamic in the recording. And also as always on releases from 2L, multichannel recording areperforming rings around the stereo track. Watch out where the stereoguys go, and don`t you touch that yellow button.

It is also worth adding that the Pure Audio Blu-ra release "Yes, we love" also includes a SACD stereo and multichannel disc. The Blu-ray record has otherwise tracks in 2.0 LPCM in 24bit/192kHz, and 5.1 DTS HD MA in 24bit/192kHz.

It would be very surpising if this recording will not become recurring played on NRK as a reference recording of the Norwegian national music. And if it should be made clear earlier in this review, I will reiterate that this is a record that gives the oportunity to to sit down and listen for a great musical experience as well as sound experience. Even if it should be it would be miles away the 17th. of May.

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