Norwegian 20th-Century String Quartets

String quartets occupy a relatively central position in the musical literature of Norway. Most of the leading Norwegian composers have written one or more works in this genre, although relatively few have come to be regarded as masterpieces. Grieg's great String Quartet in G minor is a shining example from the nineteenth century, a work that has won considerable acclaim internationally and been recorded by several renowned ensembles, including the Oslo String Quartet. This recording presents two of the best works from the first half of the twentieth century together with two quartets by leading contemporary composers.

Fartein Valen and Klaus Egge were great innovators in their day and their quartets are some of their finest work. The two composers were quite dissimilar in temperament, Egge being lively and outgoing, whereas Valen was quiet and cautious. Between the two world wars each was at the forefront