The experiences of Norwegians who crossed the Atlantic in search of a new life form the subject of Ståle Kleiberg’s Symphony No. 3, Across the Ocean towards a Higher Firmament. The work anchors a forthcoming album of the same name, performed by the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra under Peter Szilvay.
Kleiberg wrote the symphony in connection with Norway’s National Jubilee 2030, with migration and identity serving as the themes for 2025. Its historical focus is the great wave of Norwegian emigration to North America during the 19th and 20th centuries. The Trondheim Symphony Orchestra commissioned the work and gave its premiere with Szilvay in April 2025.
The three movements chart a journey from yearning to drama and, finally, a hymn-like close. The first carries the markings “Espressivo e rubato. Andante,” while the second moves through “Tranquillo. Drammatico. Misterioso.” The finale, “Maestoso. Quasi corale,” completes the symphony, which runs for just over 32 minutes.
On the album, the symphony follows Lamento – Cissi Klein in memoriam and The Town and its People, placing its broad historical subject alongside two other orchestral works by Kleiberg. LAWO Classics will issue the recording digitally on August 28, 2026. Listeners seeking the physical edition will be able to obtain it on CD in January 2028.