A special Nordic blend of lightness and melancholy is shared by the five piano trios on this CD, although it is indeed five highly individual composers that are presented here by prizewinning Ismena Trio.

The listener is taken from Svend Hvidtfelt Nielsen’s dynamic inwardness through Jesper Koch’s elegance and Lars Hegaard’s sound-objects to Ib Nørholm’s masterly, rigorous expression and Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen’s no less rigorously controlled yet more surprising exchanges of opinions between the instruments.

Trio Ismena has celebrated its 10th anniversary and is a well established ensemble on the Danish chamber music scene. After forming as a trio in 2004, Monika Malmquist (violin), Ida Nørholm(cello) and Christine Raft (piano) have thrilled audiences with their musical insight and seriousness.