Nordic Spring

This Nordic celebration, concentrating mostly on string music, was inspired by and opens with Grieg's Holberg Suite, written for the centenary of the writer Ludvig Holberg, who died in 1754. It's a mid-19th-century adventure blending the baroque and the contemporary, and the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra's deft performance has a balletic freedom that captures the music's full charm. The other well-known names to feature are Sibelius (the poignant Valse triste) and Nielsen (his Op 1, the delectable Little Suite), with the balance provided by romantic bon-bons from Kurt Atterberg (Suite for violin, viola, and strings), Johan Svendsen (Romance for violin and orchestra), and Edvard Braein (Serenade for viola and orchestra). simax.no