Grace Davidson (s); Choir of Royal Holloway / Royal Philharmonc Orchestra, Rupert Gough (cond) / Duncan Ridell (vn), Roberto Sorrentino (clo), Ola Gjeilo (p)

Decca ★★★★

Ola Gjeilo’s music breathes his native Norway and with The Road he takes us from Hallingskvartet all the way to Hardanger fjord, a journey undertaken in companionable song. Charles Anthony Silvestri also wrote the texts for Autumn, which the Royal Holloway choir approaches with the same intimate address, and for Dreamweaver, which touches on the popular medieval dream poem Draumkvedet, about a man who sleeps from Christmas Eve to Twelfth Night.

It’s a sombre piece in some respects but the Holloway singers don’t go sad-sack on it but simply and subtly temper their delivery. It’s not pictorial music, but it wonderfully conjures up a place.

This review originally appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of Choir & Organ magazine. Never miss an issue – subscribe today