Johan Svendsen remains pre-eminent among those 19th-century Norwegians who harnessed Romantic Nationalism to Classical musical forms. Inspired by Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies (8.554480 and 8.554481) the four Norwegian Rhapsodies spin traditional melodies into expansive orchestral essays whose eloquence, ebullience and energy has ensured them wide appeal. His Romeo and Juliet, completed prior to Tchaikovsky’s fantasy-overture, and Zorahayda, based on Washington Irving’s tale of a Moorish princess and a Christian knight, are dreamy musical evocations of two classic love stories. Svendsen’s two symphonies are also available on 8.553898.