Triin Ruubel / Estonian National Symphony Orchestra / Neeme Järvi ELGAR Violin Concerto STENHAMMAR Two Sentimental Romances

VIOLIN CONCERTO - TWO SENTIMENTAL ROMANCES

Christian Svarfvar BRUCH - STENHAMMAR

Christian Svarfvar has emerged as one of Scandinavia's most sought after concert violinists. His 2013 debut album on Sterling Records was praised by the Financial Times who insisted, ''we must hear more from him.'' Svarfar has worked with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Simon Bolivar Orchestra, Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra and Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. He has collaborated on chamber projects with contemporary composers including Steve Reich, Kaija Saariaho, Howard Shore and Anders Hillborg. On his first album for Rubicon, Svarfar features one of the best loved of all 19th century concertos, Max Bruch's evergreen Violin Concerto No.1. Wilhelm Stenhammar's warmly romantic Violin Sonata and Sentimental Romances complete the recording.

Gothenburg Symphony / Neeme Järvi STENHAMMAR Sången - Reverenza - Romeo and Julia - Two Sentimental Romances

The collaboration between Gothenburg Symphony, Neeme Järvi and BIS began in 1982 with the recording of Wilhelm Stenhammar’s First Symphony, originally released on vinyl and then re-released on CD in 1986. By that time, Neeme Järvi and the orchestra had already started on the many Sibelius recordings that would contribute to the team’s rise to fame. In total, the orchestra and Järvi would go on to record some 45 discs for BIS, including several with music by Stenhammar. It would however take until 2018 – 36 years after that first disc – before the opportunity arose to record that late, great work of his – the symphonic cantata Sången (The Song) for four vocal soloists, mixed choir, children’s choir and large orchestra. 

Because of the large forces involved, Sången is a rarity in the concert hall as well as on disc – there has only been one previous commercial recording, made in 1988. As might be expected there was a sense of occasion in the Gothenburg Concert Hall during the concert and recording of this all-Stenhammar programme – a sense of occasion that audibly comes across in this present disc. Also included are the well-loved Two Sentimental Romances for violin and orchestra with the orchestra’s eminent leader Sara Trobäck as soloist and the rarely heard suite from the music to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet