BBC Music Magazine: outstanding; Music Web International: outstanding.
This album presents two major orchestral works by Norwegian composer Harald Sæverud, reflecting both the early development and mature refinement of his distinct musical voice.
Symphony No. 3, composed between 1925 and 1926 but containing themes dating back to 1916, is a dramatic and tightly structured three-movement work. Its initial performance in 1932, conducted by Sæverud himself, was met with cautious praise for its expressive austerity and individuality. Withdrawn shortly after, the symphony was later restored from the composer’s annotated manuscripts by bassoonist and composer Robert Rønnes, making this recording a significant revival of a long-lost piece from Sæverud’s early symphonic period.
Violin Concerto, Op. 37, written in 1956, was commissioned by the Koussevitzky Foundation but premiered not in the U.S., as expected, but in Bergen. Sæverud described the work as “classical” in spirit, aiming for beauty and clarity rather than experimentation. Its three movements progress from lyrical and structured, to introspective, and finally to a vibrant finale featuring open strings in tribute to the composer’s violin-making great-grandfather. The soloist on this recording is Tlond Sæverud, the composer’s grandson.
Performed by the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra under Ole Kristian Ruud, this album is both a tribute and rediscovery—illuminating the expressive depth and Nordic originality of one of Norway’s most individual composers.
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