# Kurt Atterberg



## science

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Atterberg

Here's a thread we need in this department. There were a number of excellent Scandinavian composers in the twentieth century, Atterberg among them.

The work that first really appealed to me was his symphony #5, but it seems that perhaps his most famous work is the "Dollar Symphony," #6.

It appears that for now the most popular / accessible source of his works is the CPO recordings, available in a box set:










Any other fans of his works here?


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## violadude

I like his symphonies a lot! They are very good. I have that set as well. I think my favorite is probably either 6 or 8.


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## mmsbls

His symphonies have not yet made a big impression on me, but I'll try #6 again. I do really like his Piano Quintet and Sinfonia for Strings.


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## Ukko

Atterberg's symphonies have a faint but distinct fishiness.


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## violadude

Hilltroll72 said:


> Atterberg's symphonies have a faint but distinct fishiness.


As scary as it is....I actually think I know what you mean...


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## science

Symphony #6 is fun, but for now and for some reason I like #5 better.


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## Taneyev

Have his string quartet op.11. I like it very much.


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## Chrythes

Listening to his Piano Quintet now, and it's quite enjoyable!
But the third movement is rather weird. Is the piano supposed to sound so off during almost the entire thing?
I'm listening to the New Budapest Recording on the MarcoPolo label.


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## cjvinthechair

science said:


> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Atterberg
> 
> Here's a thread we need in this department. There were a number of excellent Scandinavian composers in the twentieth century, Atterberg among them.
> 
> The work that first really appealed to me was his symphony #5, but it seems that perhaps his most famous work is the "Dollar Symphony," #6.
> 
> It appears that for now the most popular / accessible source of his works is the CPO recordings, available in a box set:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any other fans of his works here?


Yes - huge fan of Scandinavian music...too many folk to do justice to; Atterberg was one of the first I came across, so owe him a lot.
Happy to discuss Scandinavians (and baltic composers for that matter)till the cows come home, so maybe hear from someone !


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## mwd

I stumbled accross his Suit No. 3 for violin and string orchestra Op. 19 No. 1. Delightful, obviously I need to investigate his work further.
MWD.


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## taduy

Well !!! I agree with Violadube, in my opinion, Atterberg s a huge man of scandinavia music, he s a great talent, as well as Melartin, all of his symphonis is so good, brilliant and grandiose. I like alll of his symphonis, especialy 1,3,5 and his violon & piano concerto. Nevertheless he s a engineer, and in music, he only amateur , a great amateur )


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## leipzig

My favourite Atterberg symphony is the third, "West Coast Pictures". No. 6 is good too, and fun. I really like the first two movements of Symphony No. 5 "Sinfonia funebre" but the finale is not convincing to me. Suite No. 3, for violin, viola and strings, is very beautiful.


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## nhthanh

In my opinion. I like Scandinavian composers, one of them is Atterberg. I like #2,5 sym


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## Rhombic

I absolutely love his horn concerto. Don't be lazy and listen to it!


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## Blake

Atterberg's wonderful.


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## Blake




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## nightscape

Symphonies #2 and #3 are in my current rotation, off of the Rasilainen set. The Adagio movement from #2 is unbelievable.


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## Richannes Wrahms

Some times I feel that, had he grown out of the Romantic pastiche, he could have been 'the one' Scandinavian composer. Some of those marvelous themes could have been stolen by Stravinsky. Yet, his overindulgent music is still good for the occasional listening as fruit is to cleanse the palate.


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## Bruce

I'm a great fan of Attenberg, too. My favorite symphony is his second, but reading the comments in this thread will send me back to some of his others as well. The only problem with the second is that it sounds like two separate works, since Attenberg listened to criticism that it sounded unfinished, and added another "last" movement. I think it would have sounded just fine in its original conception.


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## arpeggio

*So What*

Atterberg is not a great composer. He is not as good as Beethoven or Brahms or Sibelius. So What?

Just because a composer is not a top tier does not mean that his music is unworthy.

He is an example of an ungreat composer how wrote some great music.

When I made the statement about how I felt sorry for people who only listen to great composers because there is a lot of great music out there written by second tier composers. Atterberg is one of those composers.

He may lack the consistency of the great masters but at times he can really create something magical.

Right now I am listening to the "Second Movement" of the _Eighth Symphony_. As far as I am concerned note for note it is up there with the great ones.


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## Rhombic

arpeggio said:


> Atterberg is not a great composer. He is not as good as Beethoven or Brahms or Sibelius. So What?


I would not include Brahms in the top tier. Neither would I include Schubert.
Atterberg is definitely not a FABULOUS composer, but his music is far more entertaining than at least half of Schubert's works. The horn concerto is fascinatingly magnificent.


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## Bulldog

Vesuvius said:


> Atterberg's wonderful.


Yes he is, and there's a new CPO recording of two of his string quartets; I won't be passing this one up, although I'll give it a preview on Naxos Music Library.


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## Wicked_one

I think he is way too underrated. Personally, I put him up there, with Mahler. His music speak to me like Mahler's music does. Would he be a greater composer if his works would be played more often? Maybe. He has the catchy tunes, the lovely orchestration and whatnot. 

I love his symphonies and I started listening to his piano and violin concerti in these last few days: both awesome works. I've noticed that a CD with his string quartet is about to come out. Can't wait to get my hands on that.


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## jim prideaux

noticed this thread and having read certain posts am really looking forward to the delivery of recordings of the mans music that I had already ordered-hope it does not disappoint in the way Stenhammar has-on the same lines I have also ordered a disc of Melartin!


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## leonsm

I'm just starting to listen to this amazing composer. His 3rd symphony is a masterpiece from start to the end (especially the finale); the 6th symphony is great, I love the adagio; the piano concerto is amazing, the first moviment above all. I listened this week his 2nd symphony, it's starting to growing in me.


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## kyjo

leonsm said:


> I'm just starting to listen to this amazing composer. His 3rd symphony is a masterpiece from start to the end (especially the finale); the 6th symphony is great, I love the adagio; the piano concerto is amazing, the first moviment above all. I listened this week his 2nd symphony, it's starting to growing in me.


Atterberg is an amazing composer indeed - so glad you're enjoying his music!  To me, Atterberg's music encapsulates all that I love about late-romantic music. IMO, his melodies are as gorgeous and memorable as Rachmaninoff's, his orchestration is as rich and colorful as R. Strauss' and Respighi's, and his sense of atmosphere is as spellbinding as Sibelius'. I love all of his works that I've heard, with the possible exception of his enigmatic and more 'modern' 9th Symphony. The 3rd Symphony is his masterpiece, though the 2nd and 5th, in particular, aren't far behind at all.


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## MusicSybarite

Atterberg belongs to that select group of composers who had a special gift for melody and orchestration. I don't really care if he was a brilliant composer or not. I enjoy a great deal his music, above all the symphonies 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8, the Symphony for strings (a real gem), the Intermezzo for string orchestra (a lovely work), the Piano Quintet (an arrangement from his 6th symphony), the 3rd String Quartet, the Cello Concerto, the Piano Concerto, the tone poem 'The River - From the Mountains to the Sea', the three Nocturnes from 'Fanal', Värmlands Rhapsody, Vittorioso, Ballade and Passacaglia on a Swedish folk tune.

His music is permeated with such an elegance, beauty, longing, expressiveness, melancholy, power. He is possibly my favorite Swedish composer.

It's hard to think that anyone isn't bewitched by, e.g. those touching slow movements. That person has to be made by stone


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## Steve Wright

Big Atterberg fan here, although I've not yet got beyond the symphonies (in the excellent CPO box set conducted by Ari Rasilainen). Favourites are 2-4 and 7, I think, though I like or love them all (OK, haven't got to 9 yet). Such wonderful atmospheres (the beginning of 3, West Coast Pictures, with what sounds like twinkles of morning light across a wide expanse of Baltic coastline, is a case in point), and such a beautiful play between energy and repose, storm and calm.
Next stop: the concertos, and whatever else TC members can recommend!


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## Merl

Steve Wright said:


> Big Atterberg fan here, although I've not yet got beyond the symphonies (in the excellent CPO box set conducted by Ari Rasilainen). Favourites are 2-4 and 7, I think, though I like or love them all (OK, haven't got to 9 yet). Such wonderful atmospheres (the beginning of 3, West Coast Pictures, with what sounds like twinkles of morning light across a wide expanse of Baltic coastline, is a case in point), and such a beautiful play between energy and repose, storm and calm.
> Next stop: the concertos, and whatever else TC members can recommend!
> View attachment 103636


Good choices. I like Atterberg too.Not delved too deep apart from the symphonies, though. When I get more time in the summer I'll investigate more.


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## bharbeke

The rhapsody for piano and orchestra (Op. 1) and piano concerto are both very good works.


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## Kivimees

Neeme Järvi recorded a series of CDs of Atterberg orchestral works. I'll have to check out the CPO symphonies. :tiphat:


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## MusicSybarite

In general terms, the CPO set is much better than the Jarvi's (regarding the symphonies). Rasilainen understood the scores and the tempi perfectly. Järvi rushes often in critical passages IMHO.


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## stejo

Being a swede we all are very jealous of our neighbour countries with Sibelius, Nielsen and Grig. Thank god we
are better than them in football and ice hockey :lol:
Atterberg´s no 6 is great in my ears but the one all swedes are loving is Hugo Alfven´s "Midsommarvaka" 



Its all about the feelings in the midsummer in june when the sun is up almost all the night. Everyone here has heard this tune
and love it.


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