Fartein Valen

Eternal Fartein Valen

Reissue of orchestral works by this mythical Norwegian-born composer, Valen Fartein (1887-1952). "It is with great joy and pride that we present this highly personal selection of works by one of Norways greatest composers. Several years after I first heard 'The Churchyard By The Sea' it still remains one of the single classical pieces of music that has made the greatest impression on me. And although the violin concerto is often singled out as the 'entrance' to the music of Valen, it is probably in the symphonic poems, here represented by the three first tracks, that we come closest to the very core of his art. It now also seems like this was the format most suited to Valen, something that can easily nourish the view that he was never really comfortable with the larger frames of the symphonies. Most experts will probably question the inclusion of the first symphony rather than any of the others. The reason is simple: It´s the one I like the most, possibly because it´s the one that has most in common with the symphonic poems. This collection has been remastered using 24-bit technology. -- Rune Kristoffersen/Rune Grammofon. From liner notes: "Valen's music is very distinctive. We need only hear a few notes to be able to identify his signature immediately. In technical terms, his music is strongly dissonant and based on polyphony. But the overall sound is more colorful than dissonant, more vibrant than strident, and airy despite its dense textures... Valen's world of sound is soft and supple, without the ironic or robust characteristics that dominate much contemporary music." -- Morten Eide Pedersen. Rune Grammofon. 2003.