Norwegian Rhapsodies Nos. 1-4 / Romeo & Juliet

Johan Svendsen remains pre-eminent among those 19th-century Norwegians who harnessed
Romantic Nationalism to Classical musical forms. Inspired by Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies
(8.554480 and 8.554481) the four Norwegian Rhapsodies spin traditional melodies into expansive
orchestral essays whose eloquence, ebullience and energy has ensured them wide appeal.
His Romeo and Juliet, completed prior to Tchaikovsky's fantasy-overture, and Zorahayda, based
on Washington Irving's tale of a Moorish princess and a Christian knight, are dreamy musical
evocations of two classic love stories. Svendsen's two symphonies are also available on 8.553898.