STRING QUARTETS
Beethoven - Nordheim - Bartók
Engegårdkvartetten

The Engegård Quartet made their first appearance at the 2006 Lofoten International Chamber Music Festival. Inspired by the midnight sun, their musical landscape ranges from glowing core energy to the gentle lyrical sound of Norwegian nature.

2L-071: Stereo + 5.1 surround Hybrid SACD
Produced in DXD (24bit/352.8kHz) by Lindberg Lyd, Norway

Release Europe and Asia: August 2010 (EAN 7041888515227)
Release USA and Canada: July 2010 (UPC 845829000714)

The monumental creativity which Beethoven, Haydn and Bartók gave to the genre of the string quartet is our greatest inspiration. In the Harp we find Beethoven at his most entertaining and least problematic, although slightly provocative in the almost forced gentleness of the final movement. We chose to record the String Quartet 1956 including its incredibly atmospheric final Largo in honour of one of Norway's greatest composer, Arne Nordheim. The intensity and individuality of Bartók's 3rd Quartet make it a natural conclusion for us, juxtaposing the most intimate and lonely music with hard-hitting rhythmic sections which only Bartók could bring off.

Come Away, Death
Marianne Beate Kielland, mezzo soprano
Sergej Osadchuk, piano

Music by Korngold, Plagge, Sibelius, Ratkje, Finzi and Mussorgsky
Text by Shakespeare, Södergran, Linnestå and Golenishchev-Kutuzov

2L-064: Stereo + 5.1 surround Hybrid SACD
Produced in DXD (24bit/352.8kHz) by Lindberg Lyd, Norway

Release Europe and Asia: August 2010 (EAN 7041888514527)
Release USA and Canada: September 2010 (UPC 845829000639)

Death is as natural as love. But whereas love is bright and beautiful, death is dark and irreversible. Our modern society encourages us to live out our dreams and desires to try to achieve personal goals, and to strive for immortality through medication, operations and beauty treatment – no wonder death frightens us. There is a general tendency in our western culture to avoid coming to terms with death. We all know that one day Death will come knocking at our door, but we do not want to think about it. Contemplating death through words and music can evoke those beautiful, sad stories, wonderful music and the ability to experience emotions beyond those that are simply superficial.

Marianne Beate Kielland has established herself as one of Scandinavia's foremost singers, her concert repertory ranging from Monteverdi via Bach, Handel, Mozart, Mahler and Berlioz to contemporary composers. She has appeared as a soloist with orchestras such as Europa Galante, Orchestre des Champs-Elysées, Royal Flemish Philharmonie, Bach Collegium Japan, Akademie für alte Musik Berlin, Concerto Köln, Scharoun Ensemble Berlin, Holland Baroque Society, Collegium Vocale Gent, Anima Eterna and Concerto Copenhagen.

Sverre Jordan - ROMANZA

Sverre Jordan (1889–1972) was part of Bergen's cityscape: a short, slight, scurrying figure with a flat hat and rapid spats. His compositions are clearly inspired by his fellow native of Bergen, Edvard Grieg, but also by Sibelius, Rakhmaninov and Puccini. Even so, Sverre Jordan's tonal world has an independent character and its own sound, and consequently his piano pieces and songs found resonance with many musicians in Norway and elsewhere in Europe in his time. The three performers on this CD have chosen works that illustrate essential facets of Sverre Jordan's rich production of chamber music, piano music and lyrical romantic songs.

2L-065: Stereo + 5.1 surround Hybrid SACD
Produced in 24bit/88.2kHz by Lindberg Lyd, Norway

Release Europe and Asia: August 2010 (EAN 7041888514626)
Release USA and Canada: August 2010 (UPC 845829000646)

Hilde Haraldsen Sveen graduated from the Berlin University of the Arts (Hochschule der Künste) in 1994. Since then, she has held principal roles in a number of European opera houses. She debuted in 2001 as Gilda at The Norwegian Opera and has since then had several leading roles there. Her versatility has made her a popular singer for oratorios, concerts and romances. She has recorded several CD-albums with Norwegian music and currently teaches voice at the Grieg Academy, University of Bergen.

Gro Sandvik was employed as solo flautist for the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra from 1967 until 2005. Since 1964 she played solo flute for the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra and the Stavanger Ensemble. She is a member of the Bergen Wind Quintet and has an active international career as a soloist and chamber musician. This includes, among other things, premier performances of works composed especially for her. Her basic philosophy is influenced by studies with Marcel Moyse and Bud Beyer. She has been visiting professor at the University of Iowa and is a professor at the Grieg Academy, University of Bergen. She has several CD-albums with the Bergen Wind Ensemble, with pianist Einar Røttingen and with guitarist Stein-Erik Olsen.

Turid Bakke Braut made her piano debut in 1976 in the Aula concert hall at Oslo University, with financial support from Rikskonsertene. She graduated from the Royal College in London in 1979 and from the Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo, in 1981. She has been accompanist at the Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo, lecturer at the Music Conservatory in Trondheim 1990-2002, and since 2003 taught at the Grieg Academy, University of Bergen. She has also performed as soloist with Norway's largest professional orchestras, participated in the Bergen International Festival and has been involved in many international concert tours. In addition, she has participated in several CD-recordings and has received a number of scholarships.

Johannes Haarklou - SOMMERNATT
Linda Øvrebø & Kristin Fossheim

Soprano Linda Øvrebø and pianist Kristin Fossheim treat us to a delicious flower bouquet of romances and songs by Norwegian composer Johannes Haarklou (1847–1925). Haarklou's compositional output reflects his love for substantial musical forms like operas, oratorios, symphonies and concertos with solo instruments, where as the smaller works presented in this recording represent a just as creative branch of his oeuvre; many of them set to lyrics by some of the most important poets of the day. These are inspired settings, unpretentious but of shimmering beauty - feelings of joy in contrast to profound melancholy, nature and love, nocturnal moods and a Fairy-dance.

2L-062: Stereo + 5.1 surround Hybrid SACD
Produced in DXD (24bit/352.8kHz) by Lindberg Lyd, Norway

Release Europe and Asia: August 2010 (EAN 7041888514329)
Release USA and Canada: August 2010 (UPC 845829000615)

Kristin Fossheim made her first piano studies at the Norwegian Academy of Music. She continued her studies in the Netherlands, where she received her Diploma in 1990. In 1991 she obtained position with the Østlandets Musikkonservatorium. From 1996 she has been employed at the Norwegian State Academy of Music. She has performed chambermusic with many of the most outstanding norwegian musicians, both in Norway and abroad. In later years she has specialized in classical music performed on the fortepiano, especially music by Beethoven. Kristin Fossheim has appeared as soloist with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and Stavanger Symphony Orchestra.

Linda Øvrebø has her formal musical background from the Musical Academies of Bergen and Oslo. She has been awarded several prizes and scholarships, among them the Ingrid Bjoner scholarship, the "Rikskonsertene" Debut fund and the Kirsten Flagstad Award. Between 1996 and 1998 she was appointed scholarship holder at the Norwegian State Opera house, where she sang several lead opera parts in the years to follow, like Frasquita (Carmen), Pamina (Magic Flute), Zerlina (don Giovanni), Adele (Fledermaus), Oscar (un Bal Masqué), Stasi (Czardasfürstin), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), Najaden (Ariadne auf Naxos), and Adina (l'Elisir d'Amore). She has also appeared as "Solveig" in the famous Peer Gynt-festival in the Norwegian Gudbrandsdalen. Øvrebø has been a soloist with all the major Norwegian orchestras and has had many appearances with the leading festivals in this country.