FARTEIN VALEN (1887-1952): Orchestral Music, Vol. 2 - Nenia, Op. 18/1, An die Hoffnung, Op. 18/2, Epithalamion, Op. 19, Symphony No. 2, Op. 40, Symphony No. 3, Op. 41.

Description: Inspired by Schoenberg and, to a lesser degree, Berg, Valen developed his own personal atonal style by around 1924. However, a greater figure than those was his ultimate guide: as Valen himself said, "Bach's music encourages fresh thinking. With me he inspired atonalism." His "dissonant counterpoint" (no tone rows here) has, of course, a cerebral aspect, but to the layman's ear, this music has much of the Nordic reserve and gray, moody quality of Allan Pettersson - although completely without the pain and anger. Conductor Eggen has produced his own editions of these scores due to the error-riddled source material (which includes Valen's own fair-copy manuscripts!). Stavanger Symphony Orchestra; Christian Eggen.