Julie Røssland
Håvard Gimse
Clara Yuna Friedensburg Geirr Tveitt
Jean Sibelius
John Svendsen

Three composers, four stories, all rooted in what was once called "the Norwegian". But what does that really mean? Is it the colours of Tveitt's folk-inspired orchestration, the melancholy cello lines Sibelius wrote in the shadow of war, or the energy of the young Svendsen that made Grieg rejoice? Welcome to a concert of Norwegian melodies and Nordic expression, from the mountainsides of Hardanger to the concert stages of Leipzig.

Tveitt: 100 Folk Tunes from Hardanger

Much like the painting Bridal Procession in Hardanger, 100 Folk Tunes from Hardanger is a musical expression of the distinctively Norwegian: a particular landscape, history, culture and traditions. Geirr Tveitt (1908–1981) wrote 100 Folk Tunes from Hardanger in the mid-twentieth century, and the collection is regarded as a major work in Norwegian orchestral music. It is based on folk music from Hardanger and has a national-romantic and colourful character.

Tveitt had a distinctive ability to combine folk melodies with his own style, creating wholly unique sonorities. During tonight's concert we will hear a selection of these folk tunes.

Tveitt: Piano Concerto No. 1

Geirr Tveitt premiered his first piano concerto in Leipzig in 1931. His roots were in Nordheimsund in Kvam, but like Edvard Grieg he travelled to Leipzig to study. The piano concerto was well received, and after a performance in Bergen, Harald Sæverud described the work as "well-crafted, entertaining and rewarding".

Piano Concerto No. 1 has a clearly Nordic character, but is also virtuosic and romantic, perhaps shaped by his studies in Leipzig.

Sibelius: Two Pieces for Cello and Orchestra

Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) composed Two Pieces for Cello and Orchestra at the beginning of the First World War, in 1914 and 1915. They are also known as "Two Serious Melodies" and are two pieces with strong emotional expression. Not only was the world in a demanding and worrying time, but Sibelius himself was also struggling financially.

The two pieces are often performed together, but each also stands fully on its own. The first piece, Cantique, has a sorrowful and weighty character, though towards the end there is hope and confidence in the music. The second, Devotion, has more movement, while retaining the same expressive qualities as the first.

Svendsen: Symphony No. 1

Following the premiere of Symphony No. 1 by Johan Svendsen (1840–1911), Edvard Grieg described it as "a triumph for Norwegian art". The audience was equally enthusiastic, and the symphony remained popular for many decades afterwards. It is still today one of the most important Norwegian symphonies ever written.

Symphony No. 1 is a varied and colourful work. It was written while Svendsen was a student in Leipzig, and it is perhaps this curious, youthful character that shapes the sparkling opening. The fresh and energetic expression dominates the symphony, but in the second movement Svendsen also shows that he was a sentimental and romantic composer.