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Ole Kristian Ruud conducting the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra performing Edvard Grieg's Sigurd Jorsalfar, incidental music for baritone, male choir and orchestra, Op. 22.

Previous CDs in our ongoing Grieg series have, loosely speaking, had themes such as "pure" orchestral music (BISAM1191 with the Piano Concerto and the Symphony) and dances (BISAM1291, including the Norwegian and Symphonic Dances). This time, the theme is music inspired by the composer's countryman, the poet Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832-1910), himself greatly inspired by ancient Norwegian heroic poetry. Most well-known of the present works is probably Sigurd Jorsalfar, mainly because of the - purely instrumental - suite later arranged by Grieg. Sigurd Jorsalfar ('Sigurd the Crusader') was a play set in the 12th century, and the incidental music composed by Grieg includes two movements with vocal settings of Bjørnson's texts, here interpreted by Håkan Hagegård - the Swedish baritone whose impressive international career started with the role of Papageno in Ingmar Bergman's filmed version of The Magic Flute.

Hagegård is soloist on two more works on the disc, of which Landkjenning (Land Sighting) also employs a Bjørnson text based on an incident in the life of Viking king Olav Trygvason, who on returning by ship from England in 995, decides to build the great cathedral of Nidaros (the present Trondheim). The third Bjørnson-Grieg collaboration is Bergliot, a "melodrama for declamation and orchestra". Again, the theme is historical with Bergliot (interpreted by leading Norwegian actress Gørild Mauseth) leading a peasant uprising aginst the king Harald Hårdråde in order to revenge the slaying of her husband and son. Between musically independent climaxes the listener hears Bergliot's various emotions, ranging from impassioned pride to profound despair and resignation. Den bergtekne ('The Mountain Thrall') for baritone and orchestra, is another highly emotionally charged work, based on an ancient folk ballad. Grieg mentioned the work in a letter: 'Here I have striven to achieve in music the sturdy concision of style that is expressed with such a moving effect in ancient Norwegian poetry.'

Accompanying Hagegård and Mauseth is, as on previous discs, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra - once Grieg's 'own' orchestra - and Ole Kristian Ruud, a team whose performances has been highly acclaimed on previous discs - as has the BIS sound, available on this hybrid SACD disc in both stereo and surround sound versions.

Musicians:
Håkan Hagegård, baritone
Gørild Mauseth, narrator
Male-voice choir from the Bergen Philharmonic Choir
Seim Songkor and Kor Vest
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Ole Kristian Ruud, conductor

Selections:
Evard Hagerup Grieg (1843-1907)
Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op. 22
Incidental music to the play by Bjornstjerne Bjornson
1. I. Introduction to  Act I
2. II. Borghild's Dream
3. III. At the Matching Game
4. IV. THe Northland Folk
5. V. Homage March
6. VI. Interlude I
7. VII. Interlude II
8. VIII. THe King's Song
9. Landkjenning, Op. 31 for baritone and orchestra
10. Bergliot, Op. 42 melodrama for declamation and orchestra
11. Sorgemarsj over Rikard Nordraak, EC 117 (Arranged by Johan Halvorsen)
12. Den Bergtekne, Op. 32 for baritone and orchestra