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Organum Norwegica
Organum Norvegica is a series of recordings which presents selected organs in Norway. The featured instruments are from different centuries and demonstrate the stylistic traits of particular traditions and historical periods. With important exceptions these are not original instruments, though each one embodies the characteristics of the particular tradition it represents.
The aim of the series is to show some of the stylistic diversity among Norwegian organs and the musical possibilities which emerge from performances on these instruments of major works from their respective periods and traditions.
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Winge, Terje (organ)
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Ernst Glaser |
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Great Norwegian Performers 1945-2000
Over a period of five years, Simax Classics will issue 10 recordings focusing on the performance tradition in Norwegian classical music.
When examining musical traditions, the basis of what is recorded, analyzed and evaluated is usually given by the composers and their works. Performers are considered as interpreters of these works. Despite the fact that singers and instrumentalists, individually and in ensembles, play independent roles which influence and form our understanding of the composers\\\' intentions, there does not seem to exist a concept of the “performer's works”. The series Great Norwegian Performers 1945-2000 focuses on the role of the artist within a thriving musical environment both as a bearer of tradition and as an interpreter.
In the spring of 2005 Arts Council Norway approved a grant to finance a CD series of Norwegian performers\\\' works. In the course of ten releases the aim is to shed light on the performance of music in Norway in an age characterized by artistic growth and vitality. The present series is the result of a collaboration between a research project at the Norwegian Academy of Music, Simax Classics, NRK Arkiv & Research and NRK Aktivum.
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Vol. 1 in series with historic recordings
Riefling, Robert (piano)
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Marit Isene information in Norwegian
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Edvard Grieg |
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Classical Norway – the Centenary
In 2005 Norway celebrated its first one hundred years as a soverign state, after a peaceful ending of the union with Sweden in 1905. Simax Classics has, together with Hundreårsmarkeringen Norge 2005, made a fantastic set of recordings for this occasion together with Arve Tellefsen, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and many more
Classical Norway – the 2005 Centenary is a SACD/Hybrid surround sound set that includes 3 sections.
- Norwegian Heartland – the Romantic Orchestral Heritage (2 SACD) Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra/Michail Jurowski/Slåttebrekk ++
- Ole Bull – a Norwegian Pioneer (1 SACD) Arve Tellefsen/Trondheim Symphony Orchestra ++
- A 5 disc box set including the above discs and a double disc with Profiles in Norwegian Music 1905–2005
The ultimate set of Norwegian classical music from the best artists and composers.
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Thomas Dausgaard |
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The Complete Orchestral Works of Ludwig van Beethoven
This series follows the recently published Bärenreiter Urtext Edition of Beethoven's Symphonies, supervised by Jonathan del Mar, the first new edition of this music for more than 130 years. It represents the result of many years of research, revising the printed versions after consulting the autographs by Beethoven. This CD-series also include the complete stage music, overtures and concertos.
The Swedish Chamber Orchestra Örebro, with its Music Director Thomas Dausgaard, present interpretations that are both daring and striking. The sound of a modern instrument chamber orchestra performing these masterpieces, with musicians who are trained in the art of historical performance practice, has caused ovations all over the world. Russian piano virtuoso Boris Berezovsky features as soloist in the five Piano Concertos, making this series a real treat for lovers of Beethoven's music.
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Dausgaard, Thomas (conductor)
Vol. 6 in the Beethoven series is ready
'The Triple Concerto receives its best recording ever'
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Ludvig Irgens Jensen |
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Norway in Music
In the series “Norway in Music”, Simax Classics presents the various musical expressions found in Norway between 1920 and 1950. Post-war generations have been critical when evaluating much of the cultural activity from this era, reacting strongly to the nationalistic “zeitgeist” that was a very evident element in Norway during the inter-war years. But the period also saw some of the most interesting musical development ever to have taken place in Norway.
In 1920 European trends were embraced in Norway, with the late arrival of the impressionistic and expressionistic compositional styles, found in the works of composers such as Kleven and Valen. This was however soon repressed by a strong nationalistic current, building up to the 900th anniversary of the death of King (Saint) Olav, celebrated in 1930. Gathering material and inspiration from Norse literature such as “Snorre Sturlason” and local folklore, composers like Monrad Johansen, Sparre Olsen and Klaus Egge were leading figures in this movement. Well known is also Geirr Tveitts's attempt to design a special “Norwegian Theory of Music” (1937) with terms from Old Norwegian describing the medieval modes.
At the same time, influences from the European musical scene became more evident yet again. In 1938 the Norwegian section of ISCM was founded, headed by such strong characters as Harald Sæverud, Pauline Hall and Karl Andersen. As World War II emerged, Hitler's troops invading Norway, the national musical movement was again boosted. But this time there was no “romantic” approach. The national tradition was to a large extent infused with the neo-classical ideals, forging a completely new style.
The Norwegian Council for Cultural Affairs, an advisory body concerned with national cultural issues, are supporting this series so as to make the wide variety of musical artistic expression of this period available to the audiences and scholars.
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Kirsten Flagstad |
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The Kirsten Flagstad Anthology
Norway's biggest contribution to the international opera stage is Kirsten Flagstad. Her career was a long line of triumphs; from the sensational debut at the Metropolitan in 1935, aged 40, to her retirement in the 1960s. She was celebrated as the greatest interpreter of Wagner's female roles the world had heard until then. Many people will claim that this position still belongs to Kirsten Flagstad.
During her long career she had parts in more than 80 operas and operettas, with more than 2100 performances. She gave more than 250 concerts with orchestra and over 600 solo recitals. As a recording artist, her started with local productions in Oslo around 1915. Among her last recordings was the first complete Der Ring des Nibelungen for Decca towards the end of the 1950s. Further to this there are countless recordings from concerts and performances all over the world, in addition to a large archive from Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) with studio recordings from her later years. All in all her recordings amount to almost one thousand.
With the Kirsten Flagstad Anthology, Simax Classics allows audiences a unique opportunity to follow Flagstad's development as a singer. Most of the material presented in this series is impossible to get elsewhere! Early recordings from Norway before the Metropolitan-era, from different stages all over the world, and from the NRK archives.
Editor of this series is one of Kirsten Flagstad's closest personal friends through the post-war years; record collector, composer, writer and singer Arne Dørumsgård. At his home in Marzio, North Italy, he has built a collection that is a worthy monument to one of the greatest singers the world has heard.
At present, the series has reached 13 discs.
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Flagstad, Kirsten (soprano)
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Kirsten Flagstad Museum homepage
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