Sibelius: Piano Music, Vol. 2: Six Finnish Folk Songs; 10 Bagatelles, Op. 34; Pensées lyriques, Op. 40; Kyllikki, Op. 41,

COMPOSERS: Sibelius
LABELS: Naxos
WORKS: Piano Music, Vol. 2: Six Finnish Folk Songs; 10 Bagatelles, Op. 34; Pensées lyriques, Op. 40; Kyllikki, Op. 41,
PERFORMER: Håvard Gimse (piano)
CATALOGUE NO: 8.554808

This release offers Kyllikki and two important sets of the piano pieces, Opp. 34 & 40, as well as the Six Finnish Folk Songs, the fifth of which, ‘Fratricide’, is slightly Bartókian. As in his earlier disc, the Norwegian pianist Håvard Gimse brings imagination and finesse to this repertoire, and throughout his playing is touched by distinction. Robert Layton