Halvorsen: Orchestral Works Bergen Philharmonic Orchestar & Neeme Järvi

• Johan Halvorsen (1864 - 1935):
• 1 Bojarernes intogsmarsch (Entry March of the Boyars) 04:37
• 2 Andante religioso 06:04
• Mascarade Suite:
• 3 Mascarade Suite: I. Holberg-Ouverture 05:34
• 4 Mascarade Suite: II. Contillon 02:21
• 5 Mascarade Suite: III. Menuetto 04:14
• 6 Mascarade Suite: IV. Hanedansen 03:42
• 7 Mascarade Suite: V. Gavotte 02:43
• 8 Mascarade Suite: VI. Molinasque 02:34
• 9 Mascarade Suite: VII. Kehraus 01:03
• 10 Mascarade Suite: VIIIa. Arietta 03:38
• 11 Mascarade Suite: VIIIb. Passepied 02:14
• La mélancolie:
• 12 La mélancolie 02:36
• Symphony No. 1 in C Minor:
• 13 Symphony No. 1 in C Minor: I. Allegro non troppo 11:56
• 14 Symphony No. 1 in C Minor: II. Andante 08:25
• 15 Symphony No. 1 in C Minor: III. Scherzo 06:42
• 16 Symphony No. 1 in C Minor: IV. Finale 08:25
• Suite ancienne, Op. 31a:
• 17 Suite ancienne, Op. 31a: I. Intrata. Allegretto moderato 04:53
• 18 Suite ancienne, Op. 31a: II. Air con Variazoini 09:19
• 19 Suite ancienne, Op. 31a: III. Gigue. Allegro - Allegro molto 04:18
• 20 Suite ancienne, Op. 31a: IV. Sarabande. Andante sostenuto 03:06
• 21 Suite ancienne, Op. 31a: V. Bourrée. Allegro con spirito 03:57
• Norwegian Dances:
• 22 Norwegian Dances: No. 1, Allegro con brio 03:01
• 23 Norwegian Dances: No. 2, Allegretto 03:04
• 24 Norwegian Dances: No. 3, Allegro, non troppo 04:42
• Air norvégien, Op. 7:
• 25 Air norvégien, Op. 7 07:52
• Veslemøy’s Song:
• 26 Veslemøy’s Song 03:40
• Symphony No. 2 in D Minor, "Fatum":
• 27 Symphony No. 2 in D Minor, "Fatum": I. Allegro moderato 08:42
• 28 Symphony No. 2 in D Minor, "Fatum": II. Romance. Andante con sentimenti 06:21
• 29 Symphony No. 2 in D Minor, "Fatum": III. Intermezzo. Allegro amabile 04:42
• 30 Symphony No. 2 in D Minor, "Fatum": IV. Finale. Allegro 08:13
• Symphony No. 3 in C Major:
• 31 Symphony No. 3 in C Major: I. Poco andante 10:01
• 32 Symphony No. 3 in C Major: II. Andante 08:00
• 33 Symphony No. 3 in C Major: III. Finale. Allegro impetuoso 08:51
• Sorte Svaner (Black Swans):
• 34 Sorte Svaner (Black Swans) 05:01
• Bryllupsmarsch, Op. 32 No. 1:
• 35 Bryllupsmarsch, Op. 32 No. 1 04:18
• Rabnabryllaup uti Kraakjalund (Wedding of Ravens in the Grove of the Crows):
• 36 Rabnabryllaup uti Kraakjalund (Wedding of Ravens in the Grove of the Crows) 04:03
• Fossgrimen Suite, Op. 21:
• 37 Fossgrimen Suite, Op. 21: I. Fossegrimen 06:29
• 38 Fossgrimen Suite, Op. 21: II. Huldremøyarnes Dans 03:01
• 39 Fossgrimen Suite, Op. 21: III. Bruremarsch 05:53
• 40 Fossgrimen Suite, Op. 21: III. Danse visionaire (Måneskinsmøyarne) 07:15
• 41 Fossgrimen Suite, Op. 21: IV. Melodrama og Auds Sang 04:34
• 42 Fossgrimen Suite, Op. 21: V. Fanitullen 02:41
• Rococo Variations, "Bergensiana":
• 43 Rococo Variations, "Bergensiana" 10:17
• Norwegian Rhapsody No. 1 in A Major:
• 44 Norwegian Rhapsody No. 1 in A Major 10:47
• Norwegian Rhapsody No. 2 in G Major:
• 45 Norwegian Rhapsody No. 2 in G Major 11:56
• Folkelivsbilleder, Op. 19:
• 46 Folkelivsbilleder, Op. 19: No. 2, Brudefølget drager forbi (Bridal Procession) 03:34
• Passacaglia in G Minor, Op. 20 No. 2 (After G.F. Handel):
• 47 Passacaglia in G Minor, Op. 20 No. 2 (After G.F. Handel) 07:16
• Dance Scene from "Queen Tamara":
• 48 Dance Scene from "Queen Tamara" 04:26
• Kongen, Op. 19: Symphonic Intermezzo:
• 49 Kongen, Op. 19: Symphonic Intermezzo 08:31
• Norwegian Festival Overture, Op. 16:
• 50 Norwegian Festival Overture, Op. 16 08:06
• Norske eventyrbilleder, Op. 37:
• 51 Norske eventyrbilleder, Op. 37: I. Peik, the Princess and the Giant Troll 05:53
• 52 Norske eventyrbilleder, Op. 37: I. Troldmøernes Dans 04:33
• 53 Norske eventyrbilleder, Op. 37: II. The Princess Riding on the Bear 03:13
• 54 Norske eventyrbilleder, Op. 37: III. Entry of the Trolls into the Blue Mountain 01:28
• 55 Norske eventyrbilleder, Op. 37: IV. Dance of the Little Trolls 03:06
• Total Runtime 05:05:51

Info for Halvorsen: Orchestral Works

Neeme Järvi and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra have lifted the lid on one of Norway’s best-kept musical secrets with their series devoted to the orchestral works of Johan Halvorsen. Now, in this four-album set, these fresh and revealing recordings have been brought together for the first time.

Johan Halvorsen was among the most prominent Norwegian musical figures of his day, not only as one of the leading composers of his generation but also as a violinist and conductor. His compositions develop the national romantic tradition of his friends Grieg and Svendsen, but his was a distinctive style marked by brilliant orchestration which in turn was inspired by the French romantic composers.

Many of the works in the series reflect Halvorsen’s long association with the theatre. The varied fruits of this career produced such scores as Fossegrimen, the neoclassical Suite ancienne, the exotic Dance Scene from Queen Tamara, and his Symphonic Intermezzo from The King, a tone poem much indebted to the musical language of Liszt and Wagner.

The series also includes his output in more traditional genres. Halvorsen composed the three great symphonies late in his career, the first only at the age of fifty-nine, and they are strongly in the mould of late romantic composers such as Tchaikovsky, Dvorák, and Svendsen.

Among Halvorsen’s many short, stand-alone works are a number of pieces for violin and orchestra, which reflect Halvorsen’s own abilities on the instrument, while drawing on nationalist influences. The leading Norwegian violinist Marianne Thorsen is the soloist.

"...this box is a most valuable survey of what probably constitutes as much of Halvorsen’s orchestral music as they will need to hear. The symphonies in particular reveal themselves as works of considerable merit. The playing of the Bergen orchestra and the recording quality are of the highest standard ..." (Paul Corfield Godfrey, MusicWeb-International)

Marianne Thorsen, violin
Ragnhild Hemsing, Hardanger fiddle
Melina Mandozzi, violin
Ilze Klava, viola
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Neeme Järvi, conductor

Neeme Järvi
The head of a musical dynasty, Neeme Järvi is one of today’s most highly respected maestros. He conducts the world’s most prominent orchestras and works alongside soloists of the highest calibre. A prolific recording artist, he has amassed a discography of nearly 500 recordings.

Over his long and highly successful career he has held positions with orchestras across the world. Last season he took up his tenure as Artistic and Music Director of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. He is also currently Artistic Director of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Emeritus of both the Residentie Orkest Netherland Hague and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He also holds the titles of Principal Conductor Emeritus of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Laureate of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

Recent and future seasons include engagements with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and Wiener Symphoniker, as well as the major orchestras in the USA, and regular engagements with the NHK and Singapore symphony orchestras. He also continues his regular relationships with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchetra, Swedesh National Orchestra of Gothenburg and the Royal Scottish National orchestras (for a number of recording and concert projects).

Highlights of an impressive discography include critically acclaimed complete symphony cycles of Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Richard Strauss, Mahler, Dvořak, Glazunov, Grieg, Sibelius, Nielsen and Brahms. Järvi has also championed less widely known composers such as Wilhelm Stenhammar, Hugo Alfvén and Niels Gade, Franz Berwald, Johann Svendsen and Johann Halvorsen of Norway and composers from his native Estonia, including Rudolf Tobias, Artur Kapp and Eduard Tubin. Throughout his career he has recorded with Chandos, Deutsche Grammophon, BIS and EMI amongst others.

Future releases on Chandos include Tchaikovsky’s complete ballets, Symphonies and orchestral Music by a Swiss Composer Joachim Raff. Also music by Massenet, Chabrier, Saint-Saëns, Suppé, Atterberg, Xaver, Scharwenka, etc. Neeme Järvi has been honoured with many international awards and accolades. From his native country these include an honorary doctorate from the Music and Theatre Academy and the Order of the National Coat of Arms from the President of the Republic of Estonia, Mr. Lennart Meri. The Mayor of Tallinn presented Maestro Järvi with the city’s first-ever ceremonial sash and coat of arms insignia, and he has been named one of the “Estonians of the Century”. Neeme Järvi holds an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters from Detroit’s Wayne State University and the University of Michigan, as well as honorary doctorates from the University of Aberdeen and the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. He has also received the Commander of the North Star Order from King Karl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

Booklet for Halvorsen: Orchestral Works