JOHAN HALVORSEN (1864-1935): Orchestral Works, Vol. 2 - Symphony No. 2 in D Minor "Fatum" (ed. Jøen Fossheim [b.1968]), Suite ancienne, Op. 31a, 3 Norwegian Dances for Violin and Orchestra, Air norvégien for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 7,Veslemøy's Song for Violin and String Orchestra.

Description: As we pointed out six months ago (04L070), Halvorsen is woefully under-recorded; this is only the second available recording of his marvellous second symphony of 1924 which ingeniously uses a "fate" motif in all four of its movements. The Suite ancienne, Halvorsen's "Holberg Suite", is equally almost unknown - a 25-minute neo-baroque suite whose late 19th century origins invitingly peek through now and then. Also noteworthy is the fact that the symphony has been newly edited for this recording; the notes tell a twisted tale of printed score, autograph parts and printed parts which differ from each other dozens and dozens of ways. Marianne Thorsen (violin), Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra; Neeme Järvi.