Valen: Orchestral Music Vol 3 / Christian Eggen, Stavanger, Symphony Orchestra, et

Album Summary
Notes & Reviews
Also Purchased
Works Details

Album Summary

Valen, Fartein : Le cimetiere Marin, Op. 20

Valen, Fartein : La Isla de las Calmas, Op. 21

Valen, Fartein : Ode to Solitude, Op. 35

Valen, Fartein : Symphony no 4, Op. 43

Valen, Fartein : Concerto for Piano, Op. 44

Performer

Einar Smebye (Piano)

Conductor

Eggen, Christian

Ensemble

Stavanger Symphony Orchestra

Composer

Fartein Valen (1887 - 1952)

Notes & Reviews:

This third and final disc of BIS' survey of the complete orchestral music by Norwegian composer Fartein Valen includes three shorter one-movement works from the 1930s, as well as his last two orchestral compositions, his 'Fourth Symphony' and the 'Piano Concerto'. Kirkegarden ved havet ('The Churchyard by the Sea'), which opens the disc, is among the most played of Valen's works and has been the inspiration for ballets as well as for a poetic film. As so often with Valen's shorter pieces, the composer had found inspiration in another work of art, this time the celebrated poem 'Le cimetiere marin' by Paul Valery. The piece was conceived during a journey to Majorca, a journey which also bore fruit in La Isla de las Calmas ('The Silent Island'), based on a view of Palma de Mallorca, as the ship Valen was on departed for the mainland.

This third and final disc of the survey of the complete orchestral music by Norwegian composer Fartein Valen includes three shorter one-movement works from the 1930s, as well as his last two orchestral compositions, his Fourth Symphony and the Piano Concerto.

Christian Eggen and Stavanger Symphony Orchestra continues with Valen's last symphony, somewhat of a greeting to Johannes Brahms: like Brahms Valen ends his Fourth Symphony with a chaconne.