{"title":"Hugo Alfvén","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"such-stuff-as-dreams-are-made-on","title":"Such stuff as dreams are made on","description":"The last album with the current line-up, The King's Singers present a new album of choral music from the early 20th century, with a feature from sopranos Grace Davidson and Victoria Meteryard. \"Such stuff as dreams are made on is an exploration of European choral music from the early 20th century (and a bit either side), much of it shaped and scarred by the spectre of conflicts that dominated the continent in that period. For us, the album has been a chance to develop and exercise new and different colours in our singing, to dive deeply into text-centric interpretations and historical context, to savour and cherish the four languages in which we sing here, and - in one instance - even to expand our forces a little. \" - The King's Singers PRAISE FOR SIGCD912 CLOSE HARMONY 5 stars \"The current line-up of King's Singers demonstrates their continued pre-eminence with these outstanding recordings of often very difficult arrangements. The Singers deliver with their usual mix of charm and skill\" - Choir \u0026amp; Organ","brand":"Signum Classics","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012542877930,"sku":"635212088722","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4397939-3315085.jpg?v=1778222858"},{"product_id":"alfven-rautavaara-orchestral-works","title":"Alfven \u0026 Rautavaara: Orchestral Works","description":"Hugo Alfv�n was an accomplished writer and painter as well as musician and composer. Born in Stockholm in 1872, he studied first at Kungliga Musikh�gskolan (the Royal College of Music) and then in Berlin, Dresden, Paris, and Brussels. Influenced by Wagner and Richard Strauss, Alfv�n's style is also permeated with the influence of Swedish folk music. Festspel (Festival Play) was commissioned to inaugurate the new art nouveau building for Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern (the Royal Dramatic Theatre) in Stockholm, in 1908, the work is suitably rousing and celebratory for such an occasion. Alfv�n was asked in 1932 to write incidental music for a play by Ludvig Nordstr�m, to commemorate the 300-year anniversary of the death of the protestant Swedish monarch at the battle of L�tzen, at the end of the Thirty Years War, the suite that he subsequently extracted is a substantial work in it's own right. Cantus arcticus is perhaps Rautavaara's best-known work, and was commissioned by the University of Oulu, in northern Finland, to honour it's first formal doctoral graduation ceremony, in 1972, Rautavaara instead took his inspiration from the natural environment of the region, incorporating two-channel tape recordings of birdsong as part of the orchestral texture.","brand":"Chandos","offers":[{"title":"SACD","offer_id":46012601893098,"sku":"0095115538623","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4474254-3493485_f164d472-d837-43bd-a97a-4357acb28ce0.jpg?v=1778218743"},{"product_id":"alfven-complete-symphonies-suites-rhapsodies-niklas-willen","title":"Alfvén: Complete Symphonies; Suites; Rhapsodies \/ Willén","description":"\u003cp\u003eHugo Alfvén’s music has always been close to the hearts of the Swedish people, and ranks among some of the most significant and representative of the spirit of the country. Alfvén is known as a cheerful entertainer in compositions such as Den forlorade sonen (‘The Prodigal Son’), but his symphonies reveal a different, more elegiac and often more dramatic side. The success of Alfvén’s symphonies fundamentally changed Sweden’s musical climate and, with a substantial collection of further orchestral music representing his gloriously rich and varied style, these recordings sweep us into the remarkable world of Scandinavian landscape and culture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePast praise for previously released volumes included in this set\u003c\/em\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSymphony No. 5; Andante Religioso \/ Willén, Norrköping Symphony\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Norrköping Symphony plays with confidence and fervor. Alfvén was nothing if not expansive, and if his formal touch was never all that deft, he did know how to fill up time with arresting ideas, glowingly scored. A serenely lovely Andante religioso makes a perfect encore, one that puts the finale of the symphony’s straining for heroic effect in its proper perspective in the gentlest and most affecting way. Naxos’ sonics for this production are also excellent. Very enjoyable indeed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- ClassicsToday.com (David Hurwitz)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Prodigal Son, Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 11 \/ Willén, Ireland NSO\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eListen as Niklas Willén teases the skittish polka from “The Prodigal Son” ballet suite, or steers his players through the vehement fugue that rounds out his Symphony No. 2, and you’ll appreciate why this release commands unreserved praise. These works come to life in Willén’s hands.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWillén’s reading of the Symphony's Andante conjures a huge range of textures and sonorities, with the dark-hued horns and sombre lower winds particularly impressive. The players give all they have in music that’s probably new to them, and that extra effort is just one of the factors that makes these performances so compelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- ClassicsToday.com (\u003cstrong\u003e10\/10\u003c\/strong\u003e; David Hurwitz)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSymphony No. 3; Skerries; Dalecarlien Rhapsody \/ Willén, RNSO\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you haven’t heard these charming, folk-music-inspired gems of late Romantic music, then here’s an excellent place to start. The Symphony also sounds consistently fresh and lively, though it’s hard to shake the impression that the composer was happier writing programmatic works in free form than in indulging the more intellectual rigors of symphonic development. In Willén’s sympathetic hands, however, none of its four movements outstays its welcome. In any event, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra plays with confidence and evident enjoyment, and the recorded sound is very good.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-- ClassicsToday.com\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012643049706,"sku":"747313701537","price":38.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4144552-2920398.jpg?v=1778248036"},{"product_id":"a-riveder-le-stelle","title":"…a riveder le stelle","description":"Released on the occasion of the Swedish Radio Choir's  centenary, this recording brings together works that testify to the richness and the vitality of the internationally acclaimed Swedish choral tradition.    The programme features twelve extremely varied works, demonstrating the openness, versatility and flexibility of the Swedish Radio Choir and it's multi-award-winning conductor, Kaspars Putnins. It also pays tribute to the  pioneering work of the choir's long-standing choirmaster Eric Ericson, whose work has influenced and inspired composers from many generations.    The older works, by Ivar Wideen, Lars Johan Werle, Lars Edlund and Ingvar Lidholm, draw on ancient, secular and  religious traditions, from Gregorian chant and madrigals,  and combine clear melodic lines, glissandos, chants,  whispers and traditional harmonies to create a language  that is both modern and accessible.    More modern works by Anders Hillborg, Britta Bystrom and Johannes Pollak and explore the human voice and it's possibilities in every conceivable way. Staffan Storm, Ulrika Emanuelsson and Anna-Karin Klockar pay tribute to the great Swedish Romantic Hugo Alfven in pieces composed for the 150th anniversary of his birth. Finally, Arne Lundmark and Jan Sandstrom adapt existing folk and religious pieces and 'expand' the musical content, offering a vision that is both personal and respectful of the original work.    The Swedish Radio Choir and Kaspars Putnins invite you  to celebrate a century of Swedish musical history.","brand":"BIS","offers":[{"title":"SACD","offer_id":46012674998506,"sku":"7318599926872","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4442492-3418344.jpg?v=1778209729"},{"product_id":"northern-horizons","title":"Northern Horizons","description":"Throughout history, the open landscapes and mythical cultures of the Nordic countries have triggered the imagination of artists. Finnish horn player Markus Maskuniitty and pianist Martin Sturfalt perform works which, although separated in time by more than a century, all draw their inspiration from from these areas of interest. The compositions gathered here approach these Nordic themes from different angles, blending traditional folk influences with contemporary classical techniques whilst exploring the horn's lyrical and dramatic capabilities and it's rich sound palette.     Recent compositions by Piers Hellawell, Tryggvi M. Baldvinsson, Albert Schnelzer and Benjamin Staern are mixed with older works by Carl Nielsen, Hugo Alfven and Julius Rontgen, including the latter's Aus Jotunheim, a suite characterized by an irresistible Norwegian flavour throughout it's five movements, quoting everything from cattle calls to lullabies with plenty of rustic folk dancing in between.     This imaginative program designed by Maskuniity and Sturfalt puts a spotlight on the unique character of the Nordic musical identity.","brand":"BIS","offers":[{"title":"SACD","offer_id":46012690530538,"sku":"7318599927121","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4469875-3473545.jpg?v=1778218602"},{"product_id":"alfven-symphonic-works-vol-3","title":"Alfvén: Symphonic Works, Vol. 3 \/ Borowicz, German Symphony Orchestra Berlin","description":"\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e“Here loving service is done to a composer who is perhaps Sweden’s most important symphonist and certainly its most popular one.” This is what \u003cem\u003eFonoForum\u003c\/em\u003e wrote of Vol. 2 of our edition of symphonic works by Hugo Alfvén, who numbers among the most productive and most versatile Swedish cultural personalities. Alfvén’s Symphony No. 2 brought him a success that he termed his definitive artistic breakthrough. A second performance was held during the same year, and it was not long before it was also being presented in foreign countries. This work became his most popular symphony and the first of his compositions to appear in print (1900). At the time national Romantic tones had long dominated music by Swedish composers, while Alfvén adopted a taste that was more Continental – a fact that reviewers registered with astonishment. His \u003cem\u003eSwedish Rhapsody\u003c\/em\u003e No. 3, a composition featuring impressive work with motifs from Swedish folk music, rounds off this album.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"CPO","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012757344490,"sku":"761203535422","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4080220-2822004.jpg?v=1778240359"},{"product_id":"fairytales-sagolikt-4260052383544","title":"Fairytales: A Swedish Children's Book Set to Art Songs \/ Nordic Light Duo","description":"\u003cp\u003eMärchenhaft (Swedish \"sagolikt\") is a concert program by Nordic Light Duo inspired by the wonderful fairy tale world of the popular children's book author Elsa Beskow. Devotedly and lovingly designed, Beskow's fairy tales and illustrations run like a thread through the musical delightful experiences in it. The program is divided into five sections, each representing a fairy tale: Flower Festival in Täppan, The Story of the Curious Perch, Putte's Adventure in the Blueberry Forest, The Journey to the Land of Long ago, and The Sun Egg. Each section immerses you in an exciting story, enhanced by Elsa's original illustrations. These texts and pictures are then accompanied by songs and piano pieces chosen to match the stories.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo illustrations are even firsts and can only be seen in this publication, thanks to Daniel Beskow's family ties to Elsa Beskow, his paternal great-grandmother. Because of this connection, the idea for the Märchenhaft project was born in 2018. With it, the two musicians wanted to contribute to the rebirth of Elsa's fantasy world and bring a new musical fairy tale series to life. They firmly believe that this fairy tale treasure belongs to the European cultural heritage and with its re-release in a musical guise, they found an opportunity to pay tribute to Elsa's work in an original way and bring it to a new, larger audience. Fairy Tale has become a huge success in Sweden and the duo has given over a hundred concerts under this name in recent years. The intimate setting, the imaginative mood and the interplay between literature, music and visual arts remain the main features of this exciting project, which we can now also experience on this sound recording.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ars Produktion","offers":[{"title":"SACD","offer_id":46012759638250,"sku":"4260052383544","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4122924-2879716.jpg?v=1778240947"},{"product_id":"nordic-symphonies-sanderling-kuchar-engeset-willen-sundkvist","title":"Nordic Symphonies","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrom the outset of his career, Jean Sibelius was recognized as an outstanding representative of a musical language perceived as typically Finnish. In Finland, the dawn of the 20th century saw a veritable outbreak of nationally inspired artistic activities., It was a time of cultural and national self-discovery for Sibelius, too. He allowed himself be stimulated by the whole of Finland’s folklore tradition, without resorting to specific examples of folksong.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor many years, Carl Nielsen was viewed outside his native Denmark as the poor cousin of his more famous Scandinavian counterparts, Grieg and Sibelius. Yet his achievements as Denmark’s greatest symphonist of the 20th century were, if anything, even more remarkable than the successes of his geographical neighbors. Nielsen’s symphonic output is some of the most remarkable of its time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Norwegian conductor and composer Johann Svendsen was born in 1840 in Christiania (now Oslo). in 1867, he finished his Symphony No. 1, a work that Grieg later described as showing scintillating genius, superb national feeling and really brilliant handling of an orchestra. In 1872 Svendsen returned to Christiania beginning a fruitful period that saw the creation of his Symphony No. 2 in B flat major Op. 15.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHugo Alfven's First Symphony (1897) has a melancholy Sturm und Drang mood that recurs at intervals in his later compositions, but there is also a life affirming side that flourished in his Second Symphony, two years later. Of his Third Symphony, he stated \"it depicts neither concrete nor abstract. It is an expression of the joy of living, an expression of the sun-lit happiness that filled my whole being.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWilhelm Stenhammar's Symphony Op. 34  saw the light of day in 1907, dedicating it to “my dear friends, the members of the Goteborg Symphony Orchestra.” He was to remain its chief conductor until 1922. 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On top of everything performed by a Swedish vocal dream team (Kerstin Avemo, Sabina Bisholt, Julia Sporsen, Viktor Johansson, Karl-Magnus Fredriksson) and the Goteborg Opera Orchestra conducted by Patrik Ringborg. World premiere recordings of more than half of the content!","brand":"DB Productions","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":46012785328362,"sku":"7393787242149","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0614\/3423\/3066\/files\/4363281-3219476.jpg?v=1778199905"},{"product_id":"hugo-alfven-complete-orchestral-songs","title":"Hugo Alfven: Complete Orchestral Songs","description":"The composer, violinist and conductor, Hugo Alfven (1872-1960), is a kind of national composer in Sweden. His tonal language is very much romantic nationalism and his period of glory ranges from the late 1890s until the mid-1920s. 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