Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Represented on this release are two Swedish composers from the late 19th century, who despite contemporary recognition usually do not count among the still enduring and current. Joseph Dente, after having taken the position as Master of the The Royal Court Orchestra, reached the highest rank a composer could then get in Sweden, when he in 1882 became teacher in composition at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. In the case of Bengt Wilhelm Hallberg it was certainly quite simply his daily activities in the "small town" Landskrona (in the southern province Skane) - he was not visible from the out-look of Stockholm, where "everything happened", and a few occasional successes in Copenhagen did not give any greater reputation further north. But above all, the opportunities to get their music noticed, performed and printed were extremely limited, particularly for those composers who wanted to write orchestral and chamber music - still there was only one single professional orchestra in Sweden, The Royal Court Orchestra. It is therefore hardly surprising that composers in symphonic format were comparatively few; both Hallberg and Dente remained "non-recurrent symphonists".

Classical Music

Classical Music

Ture Rangstrom's The Bridal Crown has proven to be one of the most durable Swedish operas, and has been performed in abundance in many different productions across the country. Located in Dalarna in the latter half of the 19th century, it is a kind of Romeo and Juliet story with two young lovers - Mats and Kersti - from families in enmity with each other. The drama itself cries out for music and there is even some melodies created by playwright August Strindberg himself. But then, it was released as an opera by the composer Rangstrom who created, as it would turn out, an eternally young music drama.

Fanny Mendelssohn was a German pianist and composer, and the eldest sister and confidante of the composer Felix Mendelssohn, however she was never allowed to study music like her brother. Despite this, she developed a remarkable talent for piano music especially after her extensive Italian travel which is the source of much inspiration in some of these pieces. Felix readily admitted that his sister played the piano better than he did, and Fanny remained his chief musical adviser until he left home. She is said to have memorized J.S. Bach's complete Well-Tempered Clavier by age 13. Fanny married the Prussian court painter Wilhelm Hensel in 1829. She travelled in Italy with her husband in 1839-40. Upon her mother's death in 1842, she took over the direction of the Mendelssohn family home in Berlin, in which role she organized local concerts and occasionally appeared as a pianist. Fanny remained very close to her brother, and her death in 1847 greatly contributed to Felix's own demise six months later.

In 1976, Torbjörn Iwan Lundquist composed a piece, Sisu, for the six musicians in the Stockholm percussion ensemble. A few years later, the ensemble was transformed and took the name Kroumata. Sisu became one of the regular works in the ensemble’s repertoire. They also recorded it. Lundquist then got the idea to compose a larger work for orchestra where he would include the Kroumata ensemble. The result was the eighth symphony, which he began in 1989 and completed in 1992. He called the new symphony, Kroumata Symphony. Lundquist, however, keenly stressed that the eighth symphony, although Kroumata has an important part, is not a percussion concerto but a true symphony. The symphony was premiered in Malmö, with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and Kroumata in 2002. It became a posthumous performance. Two years earlier, Torbjörn Iwan Lundquist had passed away. The first performance was led by B. Tommy Andersson and is the one on this release. The fifth symphony was completed in 1980. It is for a smaller orchestra with just double woodwinds, two trumpets, two trombones, percussion and strings. It is dedicated to Halmstad Chamber Orchestra, which premiered it in February 1980. The fifth symphony is much more classical in its structure than Lundquist's previous symphonies. The symphony has three movements. Lundquist aptly called it Die Wienerische, probably not so much referring to the city of Vienna, as to the formally structured Viennese classical music of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. There are no Viennese waltzes to find here, but an elaborated structure of a classic sonata. (Curt Carlsson, 2020)

Kurt Weill was a completely groundbreaking composer in that he, along with Bertolt Brecht developed the characteristic cabaret style (Song) inspired by the American jazz music, minstrel shows and vaudeville with influences from Jewish klezmer music. Tango often played a major role, even in his operas. Often Weill sought after a Verfremdungseffekt, by using odd chords for the key, achieving a kind of desolation and unpleasant feeling. In the 1920s, his songs often sung by an actor. The performance was often characterized as Sprechgesang, recitative, helping the message to carry over the ramp. Lotte Lenya, Kurt Weill's wife, was a very successful actress with strong charisma but with an almost unlovely voice. She came to survive her husband by over 30 years and was his best ambassador. When Weill came to Paris he changed his style. The songs then had a softer image. When he later came to New York he toned down some of the characteristic cabaret style in favor of a more Broadway-customed style. Nevertheless, there remain elements of Hebrew flavour and typical Weill touches in these songs. Many of these are now considered to belong to The American Songbook. On this recording we have strived to portray the musical development of Kurt Weill, from Berlin to Broadway, from 1928 to 1950, and have selected songs that are characteristic for each period.

When Torbjorn Iwan Lundquist in 1962 was asked to compose the music score for the screen adaptation of Selma Lagerlof's Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige (Adventures of Nils Holgersson), he was already a well-known composer of film music. By 1954 he had written the scores for 16 films, and three other movies with his music were premiered the same year as Nils Holgersson. In 1962, Lundquist was engaged to compose the music for the grandiose and lavish 'Adventure of Nils Holgersson,' an adaptation of Selma Lagerlof's novel, directed by Kenne Fant. It was to be a film in color with stunning aerial photographs of Sweden and with music by Lundquist. It was actually the first time a complete soundtrack in a Swedish film was released on LP. The Suite from this score is paired here with the Suites from Gosta Berling's saga as well as some additional movements which were used in radio dramas.

Julius Beliczay is a truly sensational but forgotten composer who completely mastered the symphonic art. Much influenced by Robert Schumann and some believe his orchestrations are even better. We know numerous excellent composers who began their careers as an officer, official or doctor. However, it is quite rare that someone, in this case Beliczay, performed excellently in both civil duties and in music. He was an accomplished mathematician and he received a Master of Science and Engineering in 1857. In 1886, he left his position as a principal consultant. Thanks to the organization of the railway company, he was able to retire to devote himself exclusively to music. In 1888, he was appointed by Ödön Michalovich (Erkel's successor as headmaster at the Academy of Music) to become professor of composition. He became ill and resigned in 1892 and died April 30, 1893. THE HUNGARIAN STATE RAILWAYS (MÁV) founded on 1 May, 1945 their own symphony orchestra. Under the leadership of the orchestra's first artistic director, Tibor Szoke, who was the Opera House's young conductor, in the autumn of 1946, the Academy of Music was hosting their subscription concert series. In November 1947 the orchestra gave a guest concert in the Musikvereinssaal, Vienna. Alongside orchestral performances in Budapest and the provinces, the Rolling Opera also started in 1947: this was an Opera House travelling company performance with the State Opera House singers, choir and the MÁV Symphony Orchestra. Between 1947 and 1954 the company gave 544 performances in the whole Hungary.

Richard Strauss’ Salome, adapted from the play by Oscar Wilde, first premiered on December 9th, 1905. The opera shocked audiences due to its themes which blend the violent and erotic within a Christian biblical setting. It centers around the death of John the Baptist and is famous for its ‘Dance of the Seven Veils’. Laila Andersson-Palme was born in 1941 and moved to Stockholm in 1960. She was immediately accepted in the solo class at the Royal College of Music and began to perform in small roles at the Opera. After a student concert in 1963 where she sang Violetta’s aria in La Traviata at the Royal Opera House, she was directly engaged on a scholarship. Eventually her voice developed in a dramatic direction. Following a hugely successful career often singing Richard Strauss and Richard Wagner, in various roles, in 1985 she was appointed Court singer in 1985 and was elected in 1997as member no. 913 of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.

Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. The work, based on Victorien Sardou's 1887 French-language dramatic play, La Tosca, is a melodramatic piece set in Rome in June 1800, with the Kingdom of Naples's control of Rome threatened by Napoleon's invasion of Italy. It contains depictions of torture, murder and suicide, as well as some of Puccini's best-known lyrical arias. This production, recorded on September 20, 1984, features Laila Andersson-Palme in the lead role of Floria Tosca. She is joined by opera greats Rolf Bjorling, Erik Saeden, Anders Bergstrom, and others, as well as the Royal Swedish Orchestra led by Carlo Felice Cillario.

This new release features a recording from the world premiere performance of the opera in Metzingen Stadthalle, Bad Urach, Germany, October 4th, 2002. The opera is set in Venice in 1727. In the house of Marcello, a musician and poet, two of his pupils Rosana and Faustina wait for their teacher who is late for their singing lesson. Marcello at last arrives, apologizes, and announces that instead of their lessons he wants them to sing for a guest of his, the famous composer Adolph Hasse, from Germany. Rosana sings first: a sad song about unrequited love. Hasse praises her warmly for singing from the heart, whereas Marcello is just puzzled by her sudden ability to find the correct tone. Faustina immediately recognizes that Rosana is singing about her love for Marcello and is irritated that he cannot see it himself. She then sings a joyful song about a nightingale, which leaves both Hasse and Marcello captivated. Hasse expresses his profound admiration for Marcello and she invites him to accompany her to a party that evening. Faustina is preparing for the evening and her thoughts turn to Hasse, and she realizes that she loves him. Hasse has quietly arrived and, overhearing her soliloquy, immediately tells Faustina that he has fallen in love with her too. Marcello, masked, arrives and stands outside Faustina’s rooms, consumed with love for her and intending to sing her a serenade. He hears the gondola bearing Faustina and Hasse approaching, and jealously listens to their loving conversation. Hiding while they enter her apartment, he vows revenge on Hasse. Marcello wants to pick a quarrel and both men draw their swords. Faustina, who has heard the commotion outside, opens her balcony window, sees the events below and collapses with a scream. Hasse leaves, telling Marcello that he may keep his life as a pledge of their friendship…

Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), WWV 86, is a cycle of four German-language epic music dramas composed by Richard Wagner. The works are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas and the Nibelungenlied. It is often referred to as the Ring Cycle, Wagner's Ring, or simply The Ring. Wagner wrote the libretto and music over the course of about twenty-six years, from 1848 to 1874. The four parts that constitute the Ring cycle are, in sequence, Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold), Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), Siegfried and finally, Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods). This production, featuring the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra and the Den Jyske Operas Kor conducted by Francesco Cristofoli was recorded live on September 6, 1987.

The pianist Maria Kihlgren studied at Göteborgs Musikhögskola and at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna gaining her diploma in 1979. She has performed in Sweden and several European countries, the USA and South America. In recent years she has also devoted herself to recordings. Her albums, with solo music for piano on the Sterling label, have been internationally acclaimed. All of them have a specific theme, with cover pictures by her father, the painter Carl Speglitz. The present release includes works by Scarlatti, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Reger, Debussy, de Falla, and more.

The story takes place in Baghdad at the time of the reign of Caliph Harun-al-Rashid, which is best imagined at the distance of a fairy tale. It is about two young people, the rich merchant’s son Alimelek and Irene, the caliph’s niece. Both grow up in prosperity and idleness. After the death of her parents, Irene was received by the caliph and brought up with paternal love and an uncommon freedom. Eventually she also takes the liberty to refuse Prince Selim, the caliph’s choice of husband, which considerably troubles her relationship with the caliph. She is considering fleeing the palace. The opportunity comes when a pleasure boat gets into a storm and capsizes. Only Irene is rescued from the tragedy, by the hand of Alimelek, who, wanting for anything better to do, happens to be at sea. When Irene opens her eyes, it is love at first sight and the two decide to live together as man and wife in Alimelek’s grandiose home. Of course, Alimelek must hide his young wife, because the caliph has people all over the town looking for her. His previous drinking companions – on whom he has already wasted half of the fortune he inherited from his father, and whom he less and less regards as his friends – he quite easily breaks with, in favour of a more secluded life. His hospitality is only shown to strangers, for whom he does not have to fear that Irene’s identity will be recognized.

Peter Lindroth, born 1950 in Norrköping and lives in Stockholm. He started playing the piano as a 9-year-old. Since then, everything has been about music. His long career as a musician started when he joined a pop group in 1965. With some interruptions for touring he studied at music colleges in Gothenburg and Stockholm 1973–1979. During the following 10 years, he freelanced as a keyboard player and producer whilst alternating with composition studies for Sven-David Sandström. In 1989, he returned to the Stockholm Royal College of Music for a diploma course in composition. The list of works includes chamber music, music for voice/s and orchestral music.

Jeji pastorkyna (Her Stepdaughter; commonly known as Jenufa) is an opera in three acts by Leos Janacek to a Czech libretto by the composer, based on the play Jeji pastorkyna by Gabriela Preissova. Jenufa is based on a play by the Czech writer Gabriela Preissova�. Set a Moravian village, it follows the travails of two half-brothers, steva and Laca, and the woman with whom they are both in love, Jenufa. Jenufa loves steva in return, and is secretly pregnant with his child. But, after the jealous Laca slashes her face, steva abandons her, repelled by the disfigurement. Things only get worse for Jenufa in the second act. Laca, who now hopes to marry her instead, finds out about the child and is furious. In a desperate attempt to help, Jenufa's stepmother kills the baby - but tells them both it died naturally. Her plan appears to work and the pair agree to marry, but the child's body is discovered, forcing Jenufa's stepmother to confess. The opera ends with a remarkable reconciliatory duet between Laca and Jenufa. Here Janacek's music gleams, luminous and hopeful after such sustained darkness.

Swedish classical guitar soloist, chamber musician and guitar teacher.

Lars Forssell's lyrics are both lyrical and down-to-earth and often deal with love experiences, exposure and vulnerability. They can be provocative, politically pronounced, mix light and dark and can be both shimmeringly beautiful and agonizingly black. Evert Taube had great significance for tango in Sweden during the 20th century. Lars Forssell was a close friend of the family and played an important role in how the view of Evert Taube changed from a slightly odd troubadour to the role of popular national poet. Sven Bertil Taube and Lars Forssell went to Argentina together in 1988 and experienced Argentine tango. When they got home, they recorded a tango LP. I have chosen some of these songs with Lars's ingenious lyrics. Our last cafe depicts how painful it is to be abandoned. In Lost Birds we meet the deceived man and the broken love. In Again, the lost love is portrayed. Belgrano is nostalgic and invites us to "play the piano of the past".

Die Walkure is the second of the four music dramas that constitute Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen. The story of Die Walkure is based on the Norse mythology told in the Volsunga saga and the Poetic Edda. In this version, the Volsung twins Sieglinde and Siegmund, separated in childhood, meet and fall in love. This union angers the gods, who demand that Siegmund must die. Sieglinde and the couple's unborn child are saved by the defiant actions of Wotan's daughter, the title character, Valkyrie Brunnhilde, who as a result faces the gods' retribution.