This album includes a large portion of the orchestral works written by Ludvig Norman (1831–1885), ‘The Swedish Brahms’, including his masterpiece work, Symphony No. 3, performed by the Oulu Symphony Orchestra under Johannes Gustavsson. Ludvig Norman was a highly fascinating artist who inspired a generation of Swedish composers and was widely respected, although his 3rd Symphony was premièred only after the composer’s death.The Oulu Symphony Orchestra is developing an interesting specialty of performing underexposed Scandinavian works, not only from Finland. Here, the group, under conductor Johannes Gustavsson, explores music by composer Ludvig Norman, who in his time was known as the Swedish Brahms but is now hardly played, at least outside Scandinavia. The orchestra plays beyond its regional reputation and does this vigorous music justice. Norman was Brahms’ near contemporary, and he was trained in Germany (specifically Leipzig) and was fascinated by its musical culture. The comparison with Brahms is apt enough. The Symphony No. 3 in D minor, Op. 58, from 1881, is indeed a work of Brahmsian rigor, even if Norman’s canvases are not as large as Brahms’. Consider the slow movement, where an opening hymn-like melody is carefully and quite variously developed. The three shorter works on the program are all compact and attractive and could be added to any orchestral program featuring Scandinavian music. An attractive release that should expand the orchestral repertory a bit. – James Manheim