Norwegian Hymns – Kirsten Flagstad

Kirsten Flagstad sings hymns

On Norwegian Hymns Kirsten Flagstad presents several well-known and beloved hymns recorded at the end of her career. During her 40 years as a performing artist, Flagstad sang in over eighty operas and operettes, and she is by far one of the most renowned interpreters of Richard Wagner´s dramatic passages for soprano. Later, two years before she was appointed the first ever chief of The Norwegian Opera in 1958, she recorded closer to 50 hymns in Ris Church in Oslo, accompanied by organist Sigvart Fotland. The hymns were intended used in morning prayers, amongst others church concerts in Norway for charity. Norwegian Hymns presents 16 of the most beautiful of them.

Even several years after her heyday as an operasinger, Flagstad showed that she still was one of the most prominent singers, also in the interpretation of hymns. From the well known «Alltid freidig når du går» to the beautiful closing track «Den sigende dag som vi nu ser», Flagstad manages to conjure up graceful and sacred moods. Norwegian Hymns presents a lesser known side of Flagstad, and her beautiful interpretations of these hymns stands as a worthy conclusion to a long and prosperous career.