I have had a recording of Karajans selections from Peer Gynt for many years and have always had a desire to hear more of the incidental music that Grieg wrote. I chose this performance for two reasons, 1. it is played by the Oslo Philharmonic 2. It features Barbara Hendricks. I thought that the OPO being fellow countrymen, they would take pride in performing the music of Norways greatest composer .... I was not wrong, the OPO perform these pieces perfectly under the direction of Salonen. A lighter touch all round compared to Karajan brings out the sheer beauty of these tunes and Hendricks faultless soprano on the vocal selections is the icing on the cake. FYI although Hendricks was born in the USA she has been a Swedish citizen for many years, so she is obviously is deeply aware of Scandinavian culture of which Peer Gynt is one of the major works. I suggest you purchase this incredible bargain (currently just under 4 pounds, and get a few more to hand out to your friends) put it in your CD player, pour a glass of wine and press play.