An important common factor with the contemporary composers on this CD is the fact that they all have a background as professional, performing musicians. Jostein Stalheim’s is known as an outstanding accordion virtuoso, while Ivar Lunde Jr. was solo oboist with the Norwegian Opera for many years. Hagerup Bull started out as a pianist and organist, Olav Berg worked as a trumpet player for many years and finally Knut Vaage was in his early years a jazz pianist.

A Haydn-esque elegance purveys the music of Jostein Stalheim, and Hidden Music (2003) is brilliantly conceived as a type of rondo. The title work of the album, Chromos (1999) by Ivar Lunde Jr., is a flighty and impressionistic piece and the Bagatelles (1999) is typical of the mature style of Edvard Hagerup Bull, whilst Moments by Olav Berg has a more improvisational quality. Knut Vaage’s Fortuna is written, as indeed is Hidden Music, in close collaboration with the performers on this release. The music has the ambience of serious playfulness, the first movement resembling a jigsaw puzzle for flute and the piano.

Gro Sandvik was solo flautist with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra from 1967 to 2005. She is a member of the Bergen Woodwind Quintet and has performed in numerous concerts on tours all over the world

Einar Røttingen’s recording of Grieg’s Ballade in G minor was awarded Recording of the Year by the Grieg Society of London. His many recordings have received great international acclaim.


Tracklisting:

1.  Jostein Stalheim: Hidden Music
2.  Ivar Lunde Jr.: Chromos
3.  Edvard Hagerup Bull: Bagatelles
4.  Olav Berg: Moments
5.  Knut Vaage: Fortuna