Sibelius: Arioso, Op. 3 (Text: J.L. Runeberg)

In her autobiography (The Flagstad Manuscript, 1952) Kirsten Flagstad tells of the joy she experienced on finding, when she began to give concerts in the United States, that the Americans so took to the songs of her native country, and particularly of Grieg. She herself had been brought up with them, and even included some in the program of one of her first professional engagements, at an Oslo jail in 1913. She was told that one prisoner due for release had asked to stay on till Easter so that he could hear ‘that girl’ again.

The cycle Haugtussa (The Mountain Maid, 1895) was almost entirely unknown to listeners outside Scandinavia till Flagstad issued her first recording of it in 1940. Even then it failed to achieve the popularity its melodies and poignancy should have eared for it, and only since the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth has it won due recognition. Yet Flagstad had a great love for it and put heart and soul into the songs.

This second volume of “The Flagstad Recitals” focuses on Grieg as well as other Scandinavian composers, offering songs with both piano as well as orchestral accompaniment.

[Grieg Songs] “Listening to Mme Flagstad's recital makes one regret that she did not record more of her great countryman. The songs are varied and rewarding and her account of From Monte Pincio, one of the finest, is beautifully characterised as indeed are nearly all the songs on this record. I only regret that the quality of the recording was not better. The voice remains undimmed…" Gramophone

"…what a marvellously fresh and original work Haugtussa is and how glorious is Flagstad's tone and characterisation! I do urge readers who do not know this song-cycle to invest in this record." Gramophone

On the occasion of its 25th anniversary in 2010, Ondine releases a series of five twofers, containing best-selling titles from the back catalogue.

The focus is on five of Ondine’s star artists: sopranos Soile Isokoski and Karita Mattila, baritone Jorman Hynninen, violinist Pella Kuusisto and clarinettist Kari Kriikku.

These releases are specially priced (2 CDs for the price of 1) and are limited edition, running through 2010 only.

This box contains a large number of previously unreleased recordings, as well as many world premières on disc. The 236 page booklet contains all song texts in the original language, with English translations.

Sibelius’s earliest music was instrumental and it wasn’t until he was in his twenties that he turned to the solo song genre. From that time on, however, he wrote songs at regular intervals – more than a hundred in total. They form a substantial part of his output and are treasured highly by admirers of the composer, although only a handful have gained a regular place in the international repertoire.

As Andrew Barnett remarks in his informative liner notes, ‘listening to them in their entirety reveals considerable lightness of touch and many a flash of genuine humour. The finest of them certainly reveal his gift for melody and his acute response to nature imagery, especially when setting poems featuring pantheistic imagery.’

Many of the songs were written for or premièred by leading Finnish singers. It is a fine cast of Finnish singers who perform their compatriot’s music on this collection, which also includes the highly acclaimed recordings by the Swedish mezzo Anne Sofie von Otter of some of the best-known songs, including Black Roses, The Diamond on the March Snow and But My Bird is Long in Homing. As for the accompaniments, the lion’s share is in the hands of Folke Gräsbeck, an undisputed authority on Sibelius’s piano scores and a key contributor to this edition.

7 December 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Kirsten Flagstad. Born in Hamar, Norway, on 12 July 1895 Flagstad made her debut in Oslo in 1912 in D’Albert’s Tiefland.