Delius, Grainger & Grieg Songs – Marit Osnes Aambø

An untiring quest for cultural roots

All three composers on this album were restless souls in pursuit of a happiness they were unable, perhaps, to define. Edvard Grieg – more Norwegian than anyone, and yet a wanderer, constantly roaming Europe – always yearned for some other place. Frederick Delius – English with German forbears, domiciled in France and attracted to American and Scandinavia – where did he belong? Percy Grainger – was he Australian, English, Scandinavian or American – or perhaps everything at once? But their common bond is an attraction to, and inspiration from, folk music. To Grieg, folk music was a symbol of life itself. Delius and Grainger were Grieg´s spiritual heirs – their lives were an untiring quest for cultural roots.

Performed by the mezzosoprano Marit Osnes Ambø, an experience soloist with major Norwegian orchestras, and the award-winning pianist Graham Johnson, who has accompanied such distinguished singers as Elly Ameling, Victoria de los Angeles, Birgitte Fassbaender, Jessie Norman and Peter Schreier, this album includes over an hour of fantastic songs by Grieg, Delius and Grainger: From Grieg´s “4 Lieder, Op. 2” and 6 Lieder, Op. 4”, with their admiration of German romanticism, via Delius´ 14 songs to Norwegian lyrics, to five songs by Grainger with their unconventional harmonies and his beloved cluster sounds and glissandi.