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BIS

A Swedish Pastorale / Wedin, Stockholm Sinfonietta

$21.99

Details

Composer
ALFVEN, HUGO ATTERBERG, KURT
Artist
Jan-Olav, Wedin
Format
CD
Label
BIS
Released
Jan 01, 1988
Catalog #
BIS-CD-165
UPC
7318590001653

About

Gold buried deep in the BIS back-catalog since 1980 (but readily available), this CD adds a couple of apt fillers from 1981 to the program of the original analog LP. Larsson’s Pastoral Suite is the best-known music here, and makes a fine overture in its most sprightly recorded chamber performance. The Romance has live intensity, helped by the sound, a classic piece of minimalist work by Bis proprietor, Robert von Bar: just a small Revox half-track reel-to-reel machine, and a couple of mikes above and in front of the conductor. The timbre of the winds is distinctive, thanks to the sound coming off the hard back wall, too, but the small string band has presence-and-a-half. Wedin’s direction is inspired here, and in the four gentle Winter’s Tale fragments. The tearful, moving Andante used to close out the LP, but on CD the spell is broken by the boisterous Alfvén Dance, then cast again for Blomdahl’s heartfelt Adagio.

The real highlights are the modest Atterberg Suite, and the Rosenberg cello miniature. The latter is sadness, packed ready to go, but the violin and viola in the Atterberg spin threads of Romantic ardor that float into the air, and resound in your consciousness forever, like it or not. As do the wonderful tunes. The slow middle movement, Pantomim, really lets Sparf’s artistry and phrasing shine, closely shadowed by Mansnerus. They should have done the Mozart Sinfonia concertante at the same sessions, but this is inspired playing, and arguably Atterberg’s finest 12 minutes. You’re the poorer, if you don’t know it yet. Roman’s 15-minute oboe d’amore concerto represents the Swedish 18th century at its considerable best: a warm contrast with the rest of the program, the soloist sounding rather close, but with memorable invention and interplay in the fast movements.

Fine notes, by the eminent Per Skans. There have been a few digital anthologies rather like this one in the intervening 20 years, but Wedin said it all in 1980. A CD of relaxing Swedish lighter classics might not be anywhere near the top of your Want List, just now. Hidebound Romantics should head straight for the Blomdahl Adagio, but I urge you all to sample the whole recital. BIS CD165 is certainly not one of the structural pillars of the Hall of Fame, but it makes a very attractive Swedish display case, for some little-known, meltingly beautiful music.

Paul Ingram, FANFARE

Tracklist 16 tracks

  1. 1 I. Ouverture: Adagio - Allegro 04:41
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Ouverture: Adagio - Allegro
    Duration
    04:41
    Composer
    Lars-Erik Larsson
  2. 2 II. Romance: Adagio 04:04
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Romance: Adagio
    Duration
    04:04
    Composer
    Lars-Erik Larsson
  3. 3 III. Scherzo: Vivace 03:21
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Scherzo: Vivace
    Duration
    03:21
    Composer
    Lars-Erik Larsson
  4. 4 I. Allegro moderato 06:38
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Allegro moderato
    Duration
    06:38
    Composer
    Johan Helmich Roman
  5. 5 II. Andante lento 03:52
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Andante lento
    Duration
    03:52
    Composer
    Johan Helmich Roman
  6. 6 III. Allegro assai 05:18
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Allegro assai
    Duration
    05:18
    Composer
    Johan Helmich Roman
  7. 7 I. Prelude: Adagio 02:43
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Prelude: Adagio
    Duration
    02:43
    Composer
    Kurt Atterberg
  8. 8 II. Pantomim: Moderato 03:59
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Pantomim: Moderato
    Duration
    03:59
    Composer
    Kurt Atterberg
  9. 9 III. Vision: Allegro moderato 05:11
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Vision: Allegro moderato
    Duration
    05:11
    Composer
    Kurt Atterberg
  10. 10 A Small Piece 03:33
    Track
    10
    Title
    A Small Piece
    Duration
    03:33
    Composer
    Hilding Rosenberg
  11. 11 I. Siciliana: Andantino 03:22
    Track
    11
    Title
    I. Siciliana: Andantino
    Duration
    03:22
    Composer
    Lars-Erik Larsson
  12. 12 II. Intermezzo: Allegro leggiero 01:19
    Track
    12
    Title
    II. Intermezzo: Allegro leggiero
    Duration
    01:19
    Composer
    Lars-Erik Larsson
  13. 13 III. Pastoral: Allegretto pastorale 02:12
    Track
    13
    Title
    III. Pastoral: Allegretto pastorale
    Duration
    02:12
    Composer
    Lars-Erik Larsson
  14. 14 IV. Epilogue: Andante 03:20
    Track
    14
    Title
    IV. Epilogue: Andante
    Duration
    03:20
    Composer
    Lars-Erik Larsson
  15. 15 Bergakungen: Vallflickans dans (The Mountain King: Dance of the Cow-girl) 03:42
    Track
    15
    Title
    Bergakungen: Vallflickans dans (The Mountain King: Dance of the Cow-girl)
    Duration
    03:42
    Composer
    Hugo Alfvén
  16. 16 Theatre Music No. 1, "Vaknattan" (The Wakeful Night): Adagio 05:18
    Track
    16
    Title
    Theatre Music No. 1, "Vaknattan" (The Wakeful Night): Adagio
    Duration
    05:18
    Composer
    Karl-Birger Blomdahl