Reviews
"Somewhere In a Hidden Memory" is a very soothing and peaceful
collection of fifteen Celtic harp solos by Trine Opsahl. Born in Norway,
Opsahl moved to Denmark at the age of six. Her first instrument was the
accordion, for which she won national and international prizes in her adolescence.
She graduated from law school and became an attorney for the Danish Justice
Department. A series of life-changing events occurred that caused Opsahl
to explore and practice healing arts. This eventually led her to abandon
her career as an attorney to follow her heart's true desire. She acquired
her first Celtic harp in 1996 and began composing music on it as soon as
her fingers stroked the strings. She established herself as renowned harpist
in Europe and released three CDs which were recently released in the US.
Opsahl performs in concerts, plays at weddings, festivals, funerals, and
local church services; she also enjoys teaching Celtic harp. The work she
loves most is playing at the bedside of hospice patients to help facilitate
peaceful transitions. Quoting her, "Music has a unique ability to bring
silence and rest to a busy mind and to those who suffer from illness and
distress." Somewhere In a Hidden Memory is very calming and soothing
either in the background or to actively listen to and get lost in.
The album begins with "To a Wild Rose" (an original composition,
not the classic by Edward MacDowell), a very gentle but evocative melody
played simply and from the heart. "A Star in Heaven is Born Tonight"
is a favorite. Very peaceful and full of grace, the harp almost speaks,
telling a magical tale of a star's birth. "Sister Moon" has more
of a folk feel - a short and very touching piece. "The Light Dances
my Love" makes me think of sparks of light "dancing" on water,
casting a hypnotic spell. "Ladybirds and Butterflies" paints a
lovely portrait of some of nature's gentlest and most endearing winged creatures.
The motion of the piece is slow and graceful, making is easy to visualize
butterflies flitting from one place to the next - another favorite. I also
really like the tender and bittersweet "Love Waltz." "Ripples
in Water" picks up the tempo a bit with a rhythmic and sparkling piece
that captures the essence of water's gentle movement. The title track is
both gorgeous and poignant, speaking truths from the soul - my favorite
of the set. "Be my Vision and my Light" ends our lovely journey
with something of a hymn or prayer.
"Somewhere in a Hidden Memory" is one of the best harp albums
I've heard. Check it out!
-- Kathy Parsons, MainlyPiano, http://www.mainlypiano.com/2012_Reviews/Opsahl-Somewhere_In_a_Hidden_Memory.html
I love this album! I haven't heard anything as peaceful as this since Kim
Robertson's first Celtic harp releases in the early '80s. Trine Opsahl's
harp play is a therapy for body, mind and soul! A gentle sound bath - meditative
and rejuvenating. Inspired by Therese Schroeder-Sheker who reinvented Music
& the Art of Dying a practice for people who make the transition to
another plane, Trine also plays in hospices in her homeland in Denmark.
It is interesting that harp music is thought to be the music of the heavens
and that angels play the harp! There must be something in the sound of the
harp that is healing, angelic and soothing. Somewhere in a Hidden Memory
is highly recommended.
-- Tajalli Moonstar
Trine Opsahl's music is so peaceful and resonant. The Celtic harp is such
a glorious instrument. Her original compositions for harp blend one into
the other like floating on clouds of different sizes, shapes and textures.
To give an idea of the range: the opening track "To a Wild Rose"
is wistful and contemplative, while "Crossroads" is like sonic
pixie dust & "Ripples in Water" embodies a bubbling brook
running briskly. "Brother Sun" and "Somewhere in a Hidden
Memory" are lovely melodies that grow gracefully with repeated play.
For fans of harp music, this is a delightful disc. Enjoy!
-- Lee Armstrong
Trine Opsahl draws her music from Nordic traditions and uses it as a balm
for the soul. She began playing her first Celtic harp in the mid 1990’s
and has become a force to be reckoned with in the New Age music community.
Known as a composer and harpist in Europe, she had developed what she calls
her true purpose in life as a harp therapist, composer and performer. Somewhere
in a Hidden Memory is her newest release. It was recorded at Nasima Music
in Copenhagen and was produced by Samir Cuhtait.
Listening to this album is like drifting on a sea of consciousness that
guides you away from the frenzied pressures of life and living. The first
piece that lures you in is “To a Wild Rose.” Like a flower blooming outward
in a steady awakening of colors and splendor, this orchestration is short,
but you know you are in for a treat for the rest of the album.
The journey continues with “A Star in Heaven Is Born Tonight.” Languid harmonies
ease you into the piece, drifting on puffs of air that remind me of fairytales
and ships drifting off beneath silvery moons. Gallant pirates bow to bejeweled
ladies and gallant knights kneel to damsels in need of their aide. Dragons
be gone from here. This song holds other meanings as well. Opsahl’s occupation
as a harp therapist offering aid in the hospice field is very visible. One
of the finest things in life is to bring comfort to a soul in distress and
Opsahl uses her divine gifts to sooth the suffering of those around her.
This piece is just one example of an album filled with audible images of
peace and tranquility.
“Somewhere In a Hidden Memory” is the title track for this album and with
good reason. It is a tapestry of well woven threads that holds the secret
to the colors of life and living beyond the tangible. The center is in the
soul and that is the place that Opsahl’s music pours from like a fountain
of youth and everlasting tranquility.
Bringing my work with me today as I had lunch with friends, they delighted
in the soothing compositions of this album and wanted to know more about
it. Both are needle work artists who found it relaxing and one friend wanted
her grandson, who is undergoing cancer treatments, to listen. I cannot think
of a greater compliment than that. The gift of healing in unexpected ways
and places is a gift and a blessing.
Opsahl has captured the feeling of eternity in her playing. Drawing on the
deepest confines in the soul, she followed her dream to become a harpist,
leaving behind her work as an attorney. She is now a part of the IHTP (The
International Harp Therapy Program) and uses her gifts to bring others relaxation.
Opsahl enjoys her work in the hospice field helping people to transition
into new phases of their journey into eternity. If you enjoy blissful harmonies
and harp music with a celestial feel, I think you will enjoy this album
as much as I did.
-- Dana Wright-Muzikreviews.com
The great American mythologist Joseph Campbell once wrote: “We must be
willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that
is waiting for us.” Such was the case for Norwegian-born harpist Trine Opsahl,
who walked away from her career as a lawyer to devote her life to music.
After graduating from law school and becoming an attorney for the Justice
Department, as well as giving birth to two children, a series of unexpected
circumstances led her to re-evaluate her situation and follow a different
calling. As she explains: “When life brought many challenges to my doorstep,
playing Celtic harp became an ever-expanding opportunity for my personal
development. I intuitively knew that I had embarked on my true purpose in
life.”
Born in Norway and moving to Denmark when she was six years old, music was
always an important part of Trine’s life and as a youngster, she won a number
of national and international awards for playing the accordion. However,
the harp always held a fascination for her and in 1996 she acquired her
first Celtic harp. She took to it naturally and began composing her own
music on it. Since that time Trine has recorded three albums and performed
in a variety of venues. However it is the healing power of music that inspires
her most: “Creating and playing our own music is like a prayer. The music
creates a sacred space that brings us closer to who we are and to each other.”
Trine was deeply influenced by the work of music thanatologist, Therese
Schroeder Sheker. Music thanatology is: “a musical/ clinical modality that
unites music and medicine in end of life care. Fundamental to music thanatology
is an underlying recognition that the experience of dying is a sacred, spiritual
process within which exists the possibility for a peaceful death. Central
to the field itself is the healing potential of sound and the intention
of deepest respect in music played prescriptively. The music thanatologist
utilizes harp and voice in a vigil setting, to lovingly serve the physical,
emotional and spiritual needs of the dying and their loved ones with prescriptive
music.” Although Trine performs at various concerts and events, as well
as teaching Celtic harp, playing at the bedside of hospice patients is most
near and dear to her heart. She was educated under the International Harp
Therapy Program and officially became a Therapeutic Musician, who devotes
part of her time to doing this work in two different Hospices in the Copenhagen
area, in addition to hospitals and rest homes. She is also an advocate for
healing music and harp therapy within the health care system of Denmark.
As she explains: “The harp, with its soothing timbre and spiritual associations,
has been revered as a healing instrument by many cultures for thousands
of years.” Along with her music, she also incorporates holistic breathing
practices.
Trine’s latest CD, Somewhere In A Hidden Memory, is steeped in her Nordic
roots, while combining the transcendental qualities of new age music as
well. The album contains 15 tracks, with a number of them being in the one
to two minute-range in the first half of the CD. They created a feel almost
like an interlude or motif within a composition, and I enjoyed the arrangement
of the shorter and longer pieces. As I listened to the opening tune, “ To
A Wild Rose,” literally within a few seconds I began to feel a sense of
peace and relaxation as my whole mind and body became attuned to the vibrations
of the harp strings. Trine speaks from experience when she says: “Music
has a unique ability to bring silence and rest to a busy mind and to those
who suffer from illness and distress.” And I agree that the harp in particular,
is one of the foremost musical vehicles for healing energy, especially when
the intention of the musician is focused. According to Trine: “While playing
the Celtic harp, I travel through a place of immense beauty and silence.”
On the appropriately named “A Star In Heaven Is Born Tonight,” the plucked
notes twinkle like celestial lights in the darkness and evoke an image of
looking up at the vastness of the night sky. For me, a song entitled “Crossroads”
elicited a sense of trying to decide which path to follow. This was perhaps
inspired by Trine’s own times of challenge and change that led her to pursue
her passion in life. Trine’s music has been licensed for commercials in
Europe, and while listening to “Brother Sun” I sensed a cinematic quality,
and thought that it would make an excellent soundtrack. Another example
is “Love Waltz” with its romantic grandeur that sweeps you along in its
dance, and shows what an emotionally evocative instrument the harp can be.
Of course it is Trine’s dedication and experience as a musician and composer
that is the wind in the sails of the instrument. One of my favorite songs
was the title track, which created a wistful dream-like ambience that evoked
rich visual imagery listening with eyes closed.
Trine has produced an enchanting album that reflects the diverse facets
of the human experience – from light and playful, to tranquil and ruminative.
Being able to use her gifts to help people on such a personal level is a
sure sign that she has indeed, chosen the right direction for her life.
In Trine’s words: “Music has always brought me so much comfort, freedom,
and joy. It has lifted me up to a higher level of existence and brought
me a glimpse of eternity – this is what music can do for all of us, if we
just listen carefully, if we just let the music into our hearts.”
-- Michael Diamond, Music and Media Focus, http://michaeldiamondmusic.com/2012/11/10/somewhere-in-a-hidden-memory-by-trine-opsahl/
Иногда вместо веселой компании нам нужно уединение. Иногда впереди, на
дороге жизни, нас ждут потери. Иногда…бывает все не совсем так, как этого
хочется. В такие моменты нужно собраться, пережить их и начать все заново,
но иногда нужно и просто побыть одному, не отказываясь, однако, от любой
помощи. И часто таким помощником становится музыка, которая не подвигнет
нас на подвиги или кардинальные перемены, она просто создаст комфортное
пространство и поможет на время обрести душевный покой, утихомирив бой потерь
и поражений.
Как человек, переслушавший сотни дисков с народной и целебной музыкой, я
часто задавал себе вопрос – почему я постоянно вижу и слышу последствия
этого тандема «женщина и арфа»? Теперь, кажется, я смогу дать ответ, и поможет
мне в этом исполнительница из Дании Трин Опсаль, со своим новым альбомом
«Somewhere in a Hidden Memory». Как раз в этой самой скрытой памяти ответ
вполне очевиден: что-то, безусловно, женское, есть в звучании арфы, что-то,
что заложено еще во времена древних Богинь, избравших этот инструмент в
противовес более суровым и громогласным мужским инструментам. И это женское
начало пробуждается, когда струн касаются женские пальцы, происходит обмен
энергиями, которые образуют мощный поток, направленный к слушателю. Ирландская
арфа – инструмент с очень уютным и богатым звучанием, которое идеально подходит
для сопровождения долгих северных сказаний, для богатых на изумрудный цвет
пасторальных пейзажей, или же для медитативных, глубоких состояний, в которых
порой разрушенные бедой и горем кусочки разбитой души собираются в единое
целое. Думаю, Трин знает, о чем это я, т.к. ее музыку часто можно услышать
как в хосписе, так и на сеансах психоаналитика. Впрочем, пожалуйста, не
фиксируйте внимание на этом и не создавайте предвзятое отношение к «Somewhere
in a Hidden Memory». Когда у вас все хорошо, но душа просто хочет отдыха
и покоя, эта музыка совершенно точно вам понравится. Комфортные авторские
мелодии Трин, сыгранные только на арфе, без дополнительного аккомпанемента,
навевают приятное, расслабленное состояние, заставляют вспомнить о чем-то
солнечном и хорошем, а их тонкая связь с древними историями и музыкой кельтов
и друидов поможет восстановить духовный контакт с забытыми, архаичными фрагментами
родовой памяти. Ровное звучание альбома и волны женской энергии помогут
провести время в приятной компании, направят мысли в нужное русло и, как
знать, станут тем позитивным стимулом, который сможет изменить вашу жизнь,
аккуратно избежав проблем и негативных эмоций.
-- Sergei Oreshkin, Ascentor, http://ascentor.wordpress.com/2012/11/09/trine-opsahl-somewhere-in-a-hidden-memory/
Niels Horskjær создал видео на трек Trine Opsahl Somewhere in a Hidden
Memory из одноименного альбома. Прекрасное и задумчивое звучание, проникновенная
игра, природные зарисовки и естественный звук — все это лишь отдельные части
богатого мира Trine Opsahl. Взятое изнутри впечатление продолжает жить своей
независимой жизнью снаружи. Лицо арфистки озаряет свет и улыбка, и это значит,
что сами высшие силы помогают Trine во время ее игры.
Translation:
Niels Horskjær created a video for the Trine Opsahl track named Somewhere
in a Hidden Memory from the same album. Lovely and thoughtful melodies,
nature sketches and pure sound - there are just some parts of the rich world
of Trine Opsahl. Internal impressions continue living with their independent
lives outside. Light and smile are on the musician face so that means that
God helps Trine during her playing.
-- Antony Krakhmalnik, Relaxmuz.ru, http://relaxmuz.ru/?s=trine+opsahl
El arpa celta en todo su esplendor, así nos muestra la compositora y arpista
noruega, Trine Opsahl, su instrumento. Un álbum que toma forma con quince
tracks solistas de carácter apacible y dulce; una combinación perfecta para
aliviar nuestros pensamientos y vislumbrar un escenario verde, donde la
paz es la auténtica protagonista.
La pieza más hermosa de álbum es la que precisamente lo presenta, “To a
Wild Rose”. Una música entrañable y cariñosa que nace de unos dedos llenos
de afecto. La pasión es quebradiza y el sentimiento mayúsculo en esta pieza,
donde imaginar a la artista interpretar la pieza aporta un momento de inmensurable
paz.
Una canción de cuna es “A Star in Heaven is Born Tonight”, otra de las grandes
composiciones de este álbum. Poseedora de un estribillo y una combinación
de notas realmente interesantes, Opsahl acude a las más altas para ofrecer
a la pieza un toque de fragilidad y ternura. Es hermosa, es emocionante,
sincera. Cautivadora melodía.
“Sister Moon” es de un tono más serio y apagado que las dos pistas anteriores.
“Sister Moon” sí recuerda a grandes piezas celtas, donde la melancolía nacía
de melodías celtas en bandas Europeas. Es breve, pero fascinante!.
“Morning Mist and the Breathing of Evening” es la música perfecta para presenciar
un hermoso amanecer. Ver como el sol surge en el horizonte, mientras las
flores son mecidas por el paso de la brisa. El toque continuado y repetido
de algunas notas ofrece un toque de misterio a la composición, es la música
para el fresco nacimiento de un nuevo día.
Al igual que “Sister Moon”, “Crossroads” es una de las piezas más celtas
del álbum por su carácter apagado y buena combinación entre silencios, notas
altasy bajas. Pasa algo desapercibida, ya que es una pieza que carece de
la fuerza melódica de las piezas anteriores, pero su poder relajante es
excelente. Una composición perfecta para conseguir el mejor de los descansos.
“The Light Dances my Love”, “Brother Sun”, “Ladybirds and Butterflies” y
“My Way up High” forman un conjunto fantástico, radiante y lleno de luz.
Entre algunas notas apagadas, siempre resurge una melodía atractiva y cariñosa.
Son hermosas, casi inapreciable el fin y el comienzo de la pieza que sigue.
Otra de las grandes composiciones que podemos encontrar en Somewhere In
A Hidden Memory es “Love Waltz”. Un baile de cuerdas y acordes con un sentimiento
agridulce, donde nacen notas optimistas y en algunas ocasiones, algo más
apagadas. “Love Waltz” es, junto a las dos primeras piezas del álbum, otra
a tener en cuenta en este CD.
“True Thomas” es melancólica, donde el arpa juega con los silencios en una
melodía profunda y contemplativa. “True Thomas” es otra de mis preferidas,
una música que consigue que en el oyente despierte un sentimiento de abatimiento
y tristeza. Me gusta esta composición.
“Ripples in Water” es repetitiva, desconcertante con su peculiar repetir
de notas. Es una de las composiciones que mantienen al oyente en continua
tensión.
Aparece la pieza que da título al álbum, “Somewhere in a Hidden Memory”.
Una pieza introspectiva, algo nostálgica. Las cuerdas del alpa dan voz al
sentimiento que fluye por los dedos de la artista. Una melodía apagada que
deja un desconcierto en lo profundo del oyente.
Interesante el cambio que hace Trine en “The Space Between the Fish and
the Moon”, un toque muy oriental en su melodía. La belleza de la variedad
reside en su música, todas las notas, los acordes surgen sin seguir un patrón
establecido, pero juntos consiguen dar vida a una música inspiradora y cordial.
Un final plácido para el álbum con “Be my Vision and my Light”. Una pieza
que invita a soñar, a descansar, donde la artista nuevamente juega con el
silencio para ofrecer a su track un encanto único.
Somewhere In A Hidden Memory posee un poder curativo en contra del stress
que es difícil de explicar. El sonido cristalino y brillante del arpa, unido
a unas hermosas composiciones, capturan nuestro interés con gran fuerza.
Somewhere In A Hidden Memory es el escape hacia lo deseable en un mundo
loco donde no damos importancia a nuestro tiempo y la compositora y arpista
Trine Opsahl nos regala ese tiempo para que lo podamos disfrutar!. Somewhere
In A Hidden Memory es un álbum recomendado para realizar ejercicios de relajación,
o simplemente, para escaparnos en nuestros propios sueños.
-- Alejandro Clavio, Reviews Newage,
http://www.reviewsnewage.com/trineopsahl.html