Light Divine MIN Ensemble, Aksel Rykkvin, Mark Bennett & Lazar Miletic

• Georg Friedrich Händel (1685 - 1759):
• 1 Concerto Grosso in F Major, HWV 331 (arr. M. Bennett for trumpet and chamber ensemble) 04:18
• 2 Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, HWV 74, "Eternal Source of Light Divine" 03:10
• 3 Trio Sonata in G Major, Op. 5, No. 4, HWV 399 (arr. M. Bennett for trumpet and chamber ensemble) 04:54
• 4 Ode for St. Cecilia's Day, HWV 76: Ode for St Cecilia's Day, HWV 76: Air: What passion cannot Music raise 08:18
• 5 Alla caccia, "Diana cacciatrice", HWV 79 (arr. M. Bennett for voice and chamber ensemble) 06:25
• Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni (1671 - 1751):
• 6 La Statira: La Statira: Vien con nuova orribil guerra 05:33
• Philipp Jakob Rittler (1637 - 1690):
• 7 Ciaccona 04:58
• Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683 - 1764):
• 8 Hippolyte et Aricie, Act III: Ritournelle (arr. S. Aareskjold and M. Bennett for trumpet and chamber ensemble) 01:50
• 9 Les Boréades Suite: Les Boréades Suite: IX. Entree d' Abaris 03:47
• 10 Castor et Pollux, Act II: Tristes apprets (arr. S. Aareskjold and M. Bennett for voice and chamber ensemble) 06:20
• 11 Zoroastre, Act IV: Ballet figure forme par la Haine, le Desespoir et leur suite (arr. M. Bennett for trumpet and chamber ensemble) 02:21
• 12 Platee, Act I: Orage (arr. S. Aareskjold and M. Bennett for trumpet and chamber ensemble) 02:33
• 13 Nais: Nais, Act II: Aria: Je ne sais quel ennui me presse 03:37
• 14 Les Indes galantes: Chaconne (arr. M. Bennett for trumpet and chamber ensemble) 05:43
• Total Runtime 01:03:47

Info for Light Divine

The prodigious Norwegian treble Aksel Rykkvin returns to disc on Signum with a new album of Baroque works, accompanying the MIN Ensemble under conductor and trumpeter Mark Bennett and their artistic director Lazar Miletic.

Featuring both instrumental pieces and excerpts from operas and other works by Handel, Rameau, Albinoni and Rittler, this disc further documents Aksel’s unique talent as a performer.

Praise for Aksel’s previous release (Aksel! SIGCD435) and performances: “A mature, musical performer [...] an accomplished and adult disc” Gramophone “A remarkable performance - pure,confident, technically perfect and hauntingly beautiful” (Classic FM)

“Freakishly good, with a musical assurance and richness of tone that are almost superhuman” (Financial Times)

“A superb debut ... Exceptionally polished performances” (BBC Music Magazine)

"The pieces were all written for soprano, but they suit young Rykkvin’s pure tone and mature musicianship to perfection. A month after the recording, his voice broke and that ethereal sound was lost for ever – but it is now frozen on disc for all time." (The Guardian)

Aksel Rykkvin, treble
MIN Ensemble
Mark Bennett, conductor
Lazar Miletic, artistic director

Aksel Rykkvin
is a 13 years old award-winning, classically trained boy soprano with extensive soloist and choir experience from the Children's Chorus of the Norwegian National Opera and Oslo Cathedral Boys' Choir from the age of five years. He is the most requested boy soloist in Norway for operas, festivals and concerts, has a large following in social media, and is becoming more and more recognized internationally. In 2017 he won the Norwegian Music Competition for Youth. Aksel's first solo album, recorded with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in London, was released in September 2016 on Signum Classics. It was celebrated by critics in international magazines, received awards such as Diapason d'Or découverte, and led to a "Spellemann" award nomination for Aksel as "Newcomer of the Year".

Booklet for Light Divine