Forgotten Piano Romantics Vol. 3

A new serie on Etcetera Recorsds with only Piano Romantics fot solo piano. Volume 3 with the Sonatas of Christian Sinding

Christian Sinding was - along with Edvard Grieg - the best known Norwegian composer at the turn of the century, and after Grieg’s death in 1907, the only surviving representative of the Golden Age of Norwegian music. Hailed at the outset as a Nordic rejuvenator of the late romantic style, he maintained a solid international position throughout his career. After several years of study in Leipzig and Munich, Sinding returned to Oslo with a great number of bizarre and grandly constructed works of different kinds in his luggage. The performance in Leipzig in 1889, of his Quintet for Piano and String Quartet, Op. 5 first performed in Oslo four years earlier - marked his break-through as a major composer.

Undoubtedly inspired by Wagner and Liszt, both stylistically and spiritually, Sinding’s idiom - which is European rather than Norwegian - carries a stamp of originality and wit. Almost every musical genre is represented in the long list of works achieved during his long career: 3 symphonies plus a Rhapsody for orchestra, one piano and three violin concertos, a long array of chamber works, songs, cantatas and even an opera - The Holy Mountain.br />br /> … these 17 variations ring all manner of changes upon the basic theme, amply living up to the emotional stresses and swings of mood implied by the work’s subtitle. Antoni really proves his mettle in responding to this composition’s constantly shifting demands … the disc can be readily recommended. Fanfare Helge Antoni, a gifted young Swedish pianist … plays with dedication, sensitivity and intelligence. Gramophoneemotional stresses and swings of mood implied by the work’s subtitle. Antoni really proves his mettle in responding to this composition’s constantly shifting demands … the disc can be readily recommended.br /> Fanfare

Helge Antoni, a gifted young Swedish pianist … plays with dedication, sensitivity and intelligence.
Gramophone