Simax will be releasing a new CD of Finn Mortensen's orchestral music, newly recorded by Mikkelsen, in January.
This CD will be well worth pursuing, I should think. Excerpts are available here:
http://www.grappa.no/en/simax-classics/finn-mortensen-per-orchestra/ (http://www.grappa.no/en/simax-classics/finn-mortensen-per-orchestra/)
I received my copy this morning from HMV (£8.99 post free which puts the competition in the shade).
First impression is that this new recording reveals so much more forcefully than the older recording by the Oslo PO / Mariss Jansons that this is rather a terrific piece! (Apologies - syntax gone to the bow wows!)
I shall get my copy of the old Aurora cd down off the shelves and give it another listen ;D
I have to say that I was a bit surprised that Simax should choose to do another version of the Mortensen when there are so many symphonies by other Norwegian composers awaiting a first recording. These include the Klaus Egge 5th and several by Ragnar Soderlind and Halvor Haug(two composers about whom I have written at some length here ;D)
Well, the old Aurora CD isn't all that great - the newcomer would appear to be greatly superior in terms of recording quality.
...and greatly superior it seems to me to be. The engineering is spectacularly good, making the whole work much clearer - and, frankly, lending it even greater stature than the older recording. A must-buy for lovers of tough, but rewarding 20th century symphonies...