Svarfvar and the ever-supportive Kjekshus capture it to perfection. Impassioned one moment, reflective the next – that Svarfvar projects with particular grace. Grieg’s romantic cantabile rides on such a fluent variety of ideas that listening to all three sonatas in quick succession is pure pleasure, buoyed by Svarfvar’s fearless expression, rock-solid technique and stylistic acumen.

This gifted violinist has done us – and Grieg – a big favour, and we must hear more from him.

Playing of finesse and sensitivity, providing the perfect sound world – warm, intimate, tonally ravishing.

Svarfvar creates the magical impression of activating his instrument by breathing over the strings rather than bowing in the traditional manner.

He floats Ravel’s golden inspiration with such a poetic intimacy and tantalizing quiescence as to have the listener hanging on his every phrase.

Svarfvar keeps everything perfectly in scale so that when he soars aloft rejoicingly into the opening Allegro’s recapitulation the effect is almost overwhelming.

An outstanding release."

Christian Svarfvar captures perfectly here the quiet, heartfelt nature of the Fauré First Sonata, his tone all gleaming satin, supported by rich rolling chords from Roland Pöntinen..A lovely recording!