WILHELM STENHAMMAR (1871-1927): Gillet på Sollhaug, Op. 6.

Description: Sterling returns to home territory with Stenhammar’s second of two operas, an early work from 1892-3 which sets the Norwegian text of Ibsen’s 1883 second edition of his play “The Feast at Solhaug”. Inspired both by Wagner’s concept of music drama and by the lyricism of Scandinavian folksong so pregnant in Ibsen’s play, Stenhammar created a personal expressive language which also follows on from his choral-orchestral ballads Florez och Blanzeflor and Snöfrid of 1891 and which will leave collectors unhappy that, hurt by Peterson-Berger’s criticism of the work, the composer never attempted opera again. 3 CDs. Norwegian-English libretto. Per-Håkan Precht (tenor), Karolina Andersson (soprano), Matilda Paulsson (mezzo), Fredrik Zetterström (baritone) Norrköping Musical Society Chamber Choir, Linköping Academic Choir, Norrköping Vocal Ensemble, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra; Henrik Schaefer.