Only 20 years old, the Scandinavian violinist Johan Dalene has already been hailed as "a musician of special sensibilities" (Gramophone) in possession of "a rare fire" (Diapason), and his début disc, with the concertos of Tchaikovsky and Barber, was described as "one of the finest violin débuts of the last decade" in the BBC Music Magazine.
For his second album Johan Dalene is partnered by pianist Christian Ihle Hadland and together they have chosen a recital programme dedicated to the works of six Nordic composers; music which they have often performed and selected as their personal favourites.
"Much of the music featured on this album was written in the period when Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland were all searching for a national identity" commented Johan Dalene, "and I think one can hear those special Nordic characteristics echoed in each of these works. Even though all the music feels connected in that sense, the individual pieces are very different in style and feeling. The Grieg Sonata is full of youthfulness and charm, the Rautavaara is dreamy and mystical, while the suite by Sinding is more of a sparkling virtuoso piece. Nielsen's Romance is a youthful work which shows the composer's "lighter" side and is an absolutely wonderful little musical praline that really deserves to be performed more often."
Johan is an Exclusive Recording Artist for BIS Records.