Helene Wold - Rikard Nordraak: Songs and Piano Music (2017)

Recording of the Month - Musicweb International: "The music is attractive and interesting, and this is brought out by the excellent recorded sound. We should be thankful to both performers and Lawo for bringing us this wonderful disc." "Everything here is worth hearing, not least as a memento of a great talent who died very young." - Musicweb Helene Wold studied at Guildhall School of Music and Drama and National Opera Studio in London and since completing her studies has performed as soloist with a number of opera houses in Europe, including the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet and Glyndebourne. Eugene Asti studied at the Mannes College of Music, New York with Jeannette Haien where he earned his BMus and MA and subsequently studied piano accompaniment with Graham Johnson at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London where he now teaches. One of the foremost accompanists of his generation, he has performed with many great artists including Dame Felicity Lott, Sir Willard White, Sir Thomas Allen, Angelika Kirchschlager, Sarah Connolly, Bryn Terfel and the late Dame Margaret Price. Rikard Nordraak was a Norwegian composer and is best known as the composer of the Norwegian national anthem, "Ja, vi elsker dette landet". Performing a selection of his works, this disc is a wonderful introduction to his music.