To Valdres
In Briskebyen, traces remain of the time when the Neselva river powered mills and timber, and when small trading posts sprang up and laid the foundations for what would become the regional center of Valdres. Here, between Gullsmedvegen and Kvitvellavegen, you will find an urban environment that many still associate with the authentic and original Fagernes – colorful facades, low wooden houses in neighborhoods, and small shops lined up like pearls on a string.
As always, Gullsmedvegen is transformed into a car-free urban space for the occasion. It is brimming with local food and crafts, and the atmosphere is further enhanced when classical music fills the streets between the old houses. In Briskebyen, urban culture and art come together in a setting that is unique to Fagernes.
"There is something very special about playing in Briskebyen. The audience gets close to the music, and the surroundings make the experience both warm and personal. We are very much looking forward to inviting people into this atmosphere again this year," says Mona Kleven of Valdres Summer Symphony.
As always, the stage is located outside Hippegården, and the audience can look forward to a free concert filled with variety, quality, and musical highlights. Sigurd Sverdrup Sandmo guides the audience safely through the program as the presenter.
The five musicians in the Papillon program—based in the UK, the Netherlands, Stockholm, and Oslo—take the audience on a varied musical journey. The concert opens with Grieg's Røtnams-Knut, in which the raw sound of the Hardanger fiddle is transferred to the piano, before continuing with Fauré's timeless Sicilienne and Strauss' nature-inspired Alphorn for soprano, horn and piano.
From there, the journey continues to Ravel's austere Sonate for violin and cello, which elegantly leads into Trygve Madsen's trio for violin, horn, and piano – a piece in which three voices meet in close dialogue.
Cassadó's dancing Sardana for solo cello brings back the rhythm, before Massenet's beautiful Élégie brings the room together in a moment of calm. Finally, the concert ends with Svirdov's playful and energetic Scherzo: Allegro vivo – a final musical fireworks display before the baton is passed on to this year's selection of the best cured sausage.
