Grieg / Tippett / Beethoven Iona Brown & The Norwegian Chamber Orchestra

• Edvard Grieg (1843-1907): Opus 34 and 63
• 1Two Elegiac Melodies, Opus 34 - The Wounded One03:36
• 2Two Elegiac Melodies, Opus 34 - The Spring05:26
• 3Two Norwegian Melodies, Opus 63 - In Folk Style01:52
• 4Two Norwegian Melodies, Opus 63 - Cow Call02:23
• Michael Tippett (1905-1998): Fantasia Concertante – On A Theme Of Correlli
• 5On A Theme Of Correlli19:11
• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): Symphony No.1 in C, Opus 21
• 6Adagio Molto09:03
• 7Andante Cantabile08:10
• 8Menuetto Allegro Molto03:20
• 9Adagio-Allegro Molto06:46
• Total Runtime59:47

Info for Grieg / Tippett / Beethoven

The late great Iona Brown devoted a vast proportion of her life to conducting the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, where she also provided solo violin for the better part. When she returned with the NCO for this seminal concert in Naim's classical recorded history, whilst on a European tour, tragedy struck. Despite loosing her mother, Iona Brown bravely attended rehearsal sessions and conducted one of the most heartfelt performances of her illustrious career.

This was Brown's homecoming show in the vast ecclesiastical acoustics of Salisbury Cathedral playing a fantastic mixed programme of NCO's romantic favourites.

“exceptional accuracy, delicacy, aerial grace and vivacity...outstanding” (Gramophone Magazine)

"Out of this alchemy is born a thing of beauty which one can define, without hesitation, as perfection." (Suisse Magazine)

"Musically there is a satisfying completeness to this new Naim album, a true concert," (Hi-Fi World Magazine)

Iona Brown, solo violin I (on track 5)
Atle Sponberg, solo violin II (on track 5)
Øystein Birkeland, solo cello (on track 5)
Iona Brown, artistic director, conductor

Recorded in True Stereo analogue by Ken Christianson, Pro Musica, Chicago
Recorded live in Salisbury Cathedral (August 1994)
Produced by Ken Christianson

Super Hi Definition Remaster in 192kHz using Nagra 6D by True Stereo engineer Ken Christianson of Pro Musica, Chicago, Spring 2013

Iona Brown
violinist and conductor, born 7th January 1941, sadly died on 5th June 2004, of cancer at home in Salisbury.

Neville Mariner subsequently wrote that: "Iona personified the essence of the Academy's style of music-making. As a violinist she embraced the romantic movement with warmth and passion, and in the early classical repertoire she displayed a fastidious elegance that observed the performing conventions of the 18th century without letting the music dry out. She was an inspiration to several generations of the orchestra's players, although the altitude of some of her technical and musicianly demands broke a few spirits, and her vibrant personality broke a few hearts.

"For someone who abominated airplanes, she travelled the world of music with remarkable intestinal fortitude; for a lady who loved wine she maintained both her dignity and her figure; and as a companion there was a distinct lack of inactivity. In fact, she was a star." The Norwegian Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1977 under the leadership of Terje Tonnesen, who still works as the NCO's Music Director, who for many years worked in parallel with Iona Brown, who was Music and Artistic Director until 2001.

The NCO has a reputable recorded history including the seminal Salisbury Cathedral concert (playing Tippett, Grieg and Beethoven) under the baton of Iona Brown for Naim and additional recordings for EMI, Virgin, Chandos, BIS and Simax Classics.

Booklet for Grieg / Tippett / Beethoven