Only four of Geirr Tveitt’s suites from his unique‚ folk­inspired collection‚ A Hundred Hardanger Tunes‚ survive. The two presented here exhibit the same principal characteristics as Nos 1 and 4 (Naxos‚ 11/01)‚ although without the quasi­narrative structure of No 4‚ Wedding Suite: 14 highly contrasted miniatures whose melodic lines share generic or familial resemblances sufficient to give each suite the feeling of a set of variations‚ culminating in a weightier 15th movement as finale. Both suites on this new issue bear subtitles that provide some indication as to their basic character‚ though neither the Fifteen Mountain Songs of No 2 nor the Troll­tunes of No 5 do the music justice. For that one needs to explore David Gallagher’s entertaining notes. The Second Suite is largely a pastoral affair‚ though with moments of rugged grandeur befitting its subject‚ the mountains of Hardanger in western Norway. They are brilliantly orchestrated‚ as one now expects from Tveitt‚ the final six exceptionally so. The scoring of the Fifth Suite is richer still: I do not know if Tveitt ever wrote a concerto for orchestra‚ but if not‚ this vibrant set more than compensates. The trolls here are not the moronic ogres of Harry Potter or The Fellowship of the Ring‚ nor even the subterranean imps of Peer Gynt‚ but rather all the ‘netherworld’ peoples‚ whose music is as dazzling as they were legendarily beguiling. The Royal Scottish orchestra sound as if they thoroughly enjoyed themselves in this music‚ as well they should have: the delight in their playing sets at naught the disappointing critical prejudice displayed when the Oslo Philharmonic brought the First Suite to London last autumn. A splendid and enjoyable disc‚ beautifully played and recorded. Strongly recommended.