A work of undeniably quality, Finn Mortensen’s only symphony (1952-53) looks, Janus-like, forwards and backwards. The low opus number and post-Romantic idiom confirm its early provenance yet, despite its composer’s initial misgivings, it is now the benchmark for all Norwegian symphonies. All four movements contain elements Mortensen revisited in later, stylistically more advanced pieces.

The Munich Radio Orchestra give a splendid account of it under Terje Mikkelsen’s firm direction, allowing the symphony’s expansive nature full rein while underlining the holistic nature of its thematic relationships: thus the opposing themes of the opening Allegro moderato are reconciled (up to a point) in the succeeding Adagio, while the brilliant Allegro vivace scherzo synthesises elements before the final fugue recalls the Allegro moderato’s second theme in a glorious apotheosis. Memories of Mariss Jansons’s pioneering Philips recording with the Oslo Philharmonic (reissued a few years ago by Aurora) are not banished but this is the recording for the new millennium.

The remaining three works occupy collectively about one third of the disc, such was the concentration of Mortensen’s style as he moved on through the 1950s and ’60s. Pezzo orchestrale (1957) remained unplayed until 2003 and is a revealing document of the fracturing of his idiom as he assimilated the lessons of dodecaphony, fully adopted in Evolution (1961), with its ubiquitous violin pedal. If he had been playing catch-up in those works, Per orchestra (1967) shows him ahead of the game in evolving his own postmodern version. Evolution and Per orchestra baffled many critics but the late Arne Nordheim realised their worth. These Munich performances are compelling despite the unfamiliarity of the style. Simax’s sound is excellent. Strongly recommended.