It honors a festival when a surprise-instrumentalist emerges. The Norwegian violinist Ragnhild Hemsing fulfils the theme "Shining North" with electrifying life at the matinee in the hunting hall. On a "multi-stringed" fiddle and on the "classical" violin she plays out of sheer joy to make music. Nothing seems artificial, everything arises from an intimate connection to the instrument and herself. With sympathetic charisma she evokes images from the North, the listener "sees" a wedding party heading to the church or a banquet table, as if Ms. Hemsing considers the idea "in Folk Style" as a challenge full of relish. In the light and sweet "Romance" of Svendsen appeals a bittersweet enamel in the tone and wonderfully emotional fire. Also "Yr" of contemporary Lasse Thoresen, she plays enchantingly as a result of great confidence. This also characterizes her interpretation of sonatas by Edvard Grieg and Carl Nielsen. A slightly bitter Dolce for cantilenas and an often glowing Espressivo are characteristic maps of her art. A pianist is getting lost there? No, because Tor Espen Aspaas keeps holding in direction for an individual partnership.
Mannheimer Morgen
10 May 2016