Petrichor
Ensemble Allegria performs Kristine Tjøgersen
We hear the smell that arises when raindrops hit dry earth.
Kristine Tjøgersen composed Petrichor (2025) for Ensemble Allegria, inspired by the scent that follows rain. This characteristic smell occurs when raindrops hit dry soil and release the molecule geosmin, produced by bacteria in the ground. Humans are surprisingly sensitive to this scent, and the association with life-giving rain runs deep in our evolutionary memory.
Tjøgersen’s music is known for its sensuousness, associative richness, and structural clarity, often taking natural phenomena as its starting point. With her distinctive approach to sound and form, she creates a sonic landscape that, like petrichor, awakens something primal while stimulating the imagination.
Artist talk: Kristine Tjøgersen and Jenny Hval
12 september 15:00 – 15:20 Vinterhagen I Sentralen
Free admission, but please note that capacity in Vinterhagen may be limited.
After the concert Petrichor, Ensemble Allegria invites you to a conversation between Kristine Tjøgersen and Jenny Hval, exploring the connections between scent and music.
With a background as a clarinettist, Tjøgersen has established herself as one of Norway’s leading composers, and in 2025 became the first Norwegian recipient of the Ernst von Siemens Composer’s Prize. Her piece Petrichor, written for Ensemble Allegria, is inspired by the scent of rain on dry earth – a smell to which humans are particularly sensitive.
Writer and musician Jenny Hval is internationally known for her interdisciplinary artistic work and has released several critically acclaimed albums and books. Hval has a strong connection to perfume and the way scent can evoke memories and associations, a theme she explores in her recent book Scenemennesket.
The conversation reflects on the unexpected forms of poetry that scent may awaken.
Facts
• Petrichor comes from Greek: petra means stone, ichor refers to the golden fluid in the veins of the gods.
• Ensemble Allegria is one of Norway’s leading string ensembles, known for its virtuosity, joy of playing, and social engagement.
• The piece is conducted by Rasmus Hella Mikkelsen, one of Norway’s most promising young conductors and the upcoming assistant conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.
• Kristine Tjøgersen is one of Norway’s most prominent composers, and the only Norwegian recipient of the prestigious Ernst von Siemens Music Prize. She is also featured at Ultima with Elja, composed together with Benedicte Maurseth.
Ensemble Allegria. Photo: Helge Brekke.
Kristine Tjøgersen. Photo: Rui Camilo/ EvS Musikstiftung
Jenny Hval. Photo: Jenny Berger Myhre
Composition
- Kristine Tjøgersen
Featuring
- Ensemble Allegria
- Maria Angelika Carlsen, concertmaster
- Rasmus Hella Mikkelsen, conductor
In conversation
- Kristine Tjøgersen
- Jenny Hval
In collaboration with
- Ensemble Allegria
