Bjørn Andor Drage : Via Dolorosa  (Korsveien / The Way of the Cross)

Organ meditations

These organ improvisations weave fascinating moods around Easter's dramatic message, all packed in an attractive CD book. 

Bjørn Andor Drage improvises 14 meditations on the organ in Rønvik church, all relating to the suffering of Jesus on the cross. This music joins the free and expressive, combining themes composed by the artist and familiar strains from the passion hymns. The CD was recorded by Erik Hillestad in Rønvik church. The story of the way of the cross is narrated in a meditative and compassionate tone, opening this familiar story to us, a theme that has fascinated many famous painters since the tradition was established in the fourth century, in a fascinating new way.

In 1999 Gunnar Torvund produced his series of pictures entitled Korsveien / The Way of the Cross – representing the stations on Jesus' way with the cross – for Rønvik church. The series is reproduced in its entirety in the book accompanying this CD. In 2006 Reidun Mæsel Kolvik's cycle of poems was added to Torvund's pictures. On "Via Dolorosa", Bjørn Andor Drage's organ improvisations, played on an organ built in 2002, function as free instrumental comments on the reliefs and poems. 

Bjørn Andor Drage teaches the organ at Tromsø University College. After graduating from the Norwegian Academy of Music, he made his debut at Oslo Concert Hall in 1984. He has performed at concerts in many countries and is also an active composer of contemporary music who likes to perform improvisations in many genres.

Track list:

1. Jesus blir dømt til døden

2. Jesus mottar korset

3. Jesus faller første gang under korset

4. Jesus møter sin mor

5. Simon fra Kyrène hjelper Jesus å bære korset

6. Veronika rekker Jesus svetteduken

7. Jesus faller andre gang under korset

8. Jesus trøster Jerusalems døtre

9. Jesus fa..er tredje gang under korset

10. Jesus blir avkledt

11. Jesus blir naglet til korset

12. Jesus dør på korset

13. Jesus blir tatt ned av korset og lagt i sin mors fang

14. Jesus blir gravlagt