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

Grieg
Foraarsregn, Op.49/6
Ved Rondane, Op.33/9
Hjemkomst, Op.58/1
Svendsen
Romance, Op.26
Sunleif Rasmussen
Romance [premiere recording]
Sibelius
Svarta Rosor, Op.36/1
Grieg
I Rosentiden, Op.48/5
Med en Primula Veris Op.26/4
Stenhammar
Romance, Op.28
Bo Holten
Romance II [premiere recording]
Grieg
To Brune Øjne, Op.5/1
Jeg elsker Dig, Op.5/3
Solveigs Sang
Våren, Op.33/2
Til Norge, Op.58/4
Sibelius
Romance in C, Op.42
Grieg
En svane, Op.25/2

Helge Slaatto (violin) & Anne Mette Staehr (piano)

Recorded: June2 20-21 & November 7-8, 2020, at Syddansk Musikkonservatorium, Odense, Denmark

Reviewed by: Antony Hodgson

Reviewed: July 2021
CD No: Danacord DACOCD880
Duration: 60 minutes

It is impossible to avoid the term ‘Salon Music’; but let it be said at once that these are high-class examples of that genre. It may no longer be the fashion for such music to be played in an alcove of a large, respectable restaurant but it would be suitable to do so as also would performance in the drawing room of a grand house after supper. Fritz Kreisler certainly gave pleasure to audiences in performing such music with piano while also being famous for his interpretations of the great violin concertos in the concert hall.

The interesting thing about the seventeen arrangements of songs is that the violin plays the vocal line; Helge Slaatto phrases the melodies in the way a singer would present them, and there is great rapport with Anne Mette Staehr in this respect. The technique becomes very clear when listening to those pieces familiar in orchestral settings; for example Våren (The Last Spring) is very well known in the version for string orchestra, and therefore the melodic line is very familiar, but Slaatto plays the notes as if they were being sung, the shaping of the themes is far different.

This can all the more easily be understood because in the accompanying booklet the words of the songs by Grieg and Sibelius are printed in their original languages, so even without knowledge of Norwegian or Swedish it is possible to follow the vocal line. Certainly, viewing the text makes it easier to understand why the violinist phrases the music as he does. Translations are also provided. Among these songs there are five items entitled ‘Romance’. Apart from Rasmussen’s, which at first exploits the very highest notes of the piano and later becomes urgently busy, they provide thoughtful interludes. In particular the flowing Stenhammar work is very comforting. Bo Holten’s Romance (2020) is today’s music, and it is of a melodic nature. It lives up to the booklet note which describes it as “a real salon piece”. Sibelius’s Romance for String Orchestra does not work so well here because the percussive nature of the piano fails to capture the lyrical essence of the original string-led melodies.

Slaatto’s elegant violin tone is immensely suited to these pieces; the vocal line is followed very precisely with just the occasional (surprising) lifting of a phrase to an octave above in order to suit the range of the violin.