# SS 14.03.15 - Alfvén #4 "From The Outermost Skerries"



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:*

Hugo Alfvén (1872 - 1960)*

Symphony No. 4 in C minor, Op. 39 "From The Outermost Skerries"

1. Moderato - Allegretto, ma non troppo
2. Allegro - Moderato - Allegro
3. Lento - Maestoso - Molto appassionato
4. Allegro agitato

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Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

A new one on me this weekend. I've never heard Alfvén, but am looking forward to giving him some listening time. I bought this set especially for the occassion and it's the only Alfvén I have.

View attachment 66240


Neeme Jarvi/Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Vocalists: Christina Hogman (Soprano), Claes-Hakan Ahnsjo (Tenor)


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## Jeff W (Jan 20, 2014)

realdealblues said:


> A new one on me this weekend. I've never heard Alfvén, but am looking forward to giving him some listening time.


I think the new ones are the most fascinating. I've learned about so much great music from these threads!

Anyhow, this one is new to me as well and I don't have a recording so it is off to Youtube for me. The Iceland Symphony Orchestra under Niklas Willén. Soloists are Arndis Halla (Soprano) and Johann Valdimarsson (Tenor).


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## CyrilWashbrook (Feb 6, 2013)

I've never heard of the composer either, but I briefly glanced at some favourable reviews, so I'm looking forward to trying it out. I'll be listening to the recording by the Stockholm Philharmonic under Stig Westerberg, with Elisabeth Söderström and Gösta Winbergh as vocalists.


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

I'll go for the first commercial recording of this:










Elisabeth Söderström and Gösta Winbergh, soloists; Stockholm Philharmonic under Stig Westerberg (Recorded 1979; Bluebell ABCD 001)

/ptr

Sorry for the big image!


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

This could be the same Neeme Järvi recording that realdealblues is hearing (the file only indicates Järvi). This is a première listen to both the composer and work for me.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

realdealblues said:


> A new one on me this weekend. I've never heard Alfvén, but am looking forward to giving him some listening time. I bought this set especially for the occassion and it's the only Alfvén I have.
> 
> View attachment 66240
> 
> ...


The same here. I have had this box for a few years, a great introduction to this composer.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

I'll listen to the Jarvi/Stockholm as well.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Wow, I don't have a bit of his music, although I am familiar with the name. I hope it is on Spotify


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

I have also heard no Alfven before. I'm going with this:


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

brotagonist said:


> This could be the same Neeme Järvi recording that realdealblues is hearing (the file only indicates Järvi). This is a première listen to both the composer and work for me.


Yes it is the same that Järvi recorded for Bis!

/pttr


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## Kivimees (Feb 16, 2013)

Here we go - Scandinavian label conducted by "local" hero:


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

GreenMamba said:


> I have also heard no Alfven before. I'm going with this:
> 
> View attachment 66260


And I shall join you in another new adventure


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Elisabeth Söderström and Gösta Winbergh, soloists; Stockholm Philharmonic under Stig Westerberg (Recorded 1979; Bluebell ABCD 001) is my choice.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

*Alfven*: Symphony 4, w. Nilsson/Andersson/Royal Stockholm PO/Alfven (rec.1947). Courtesy of YT, from the "Alfven conducts Alfven" album.:tiphat:


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I listened to the Naxos recording via Spotify. I liked the outer movements but got pretty bored in the middle movements. It reminded me of Bax and Bantock, 2 of my least favorite Composers.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

This music was composed in 1918-19. It sounds untouched by the violent cataclysm that had just consumed 25 million lives. I realize that Scandinavia was neutral in the Great War, but compare this to Carl Nielsen's 4th and 5th Symphonies, which seem to reflect the trauma of the War quite well. I suspect this music just doesn't travel well beyond the fjords.


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## nightscape (Jun 22, 2013)

Kivimees said:


> Here we go - Scandinavian label conducted by "local" hero:
> 
> View attachment 66268


Never heard his music. Going with this recording as well.


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## BartokPizz (Oct 26, 2014)

Stig Westerberg: Stockholm Phil.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

My bad. I was in a foul mood yesterday when I trashed this piece.
I listened this AM as I walked. I really like this work It reminds me a of Vaughn Williams Pastoral, a bit of Nielsen's 3, with healthy doses of Richard Strauss. There is some real magic here and the second movement is quite beautiful. I will want to investigate the Composers other Symphonies. And this isa good choice for the weekend series, which I am really coming to look forward to every weekend.


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## Zarathustra (Dec 21, 2013)

Neeme Järvi Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

I like it.


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

I've never heard an Alfven symphony before, so I listened to this one on Youtube. I heard some elements in the first movement that reminded me a little of Mahler's 6th, but overall it wasn't a piece that really grabbed me despite the unusual inclusion of the wordless solo voices. Still, it's always good to hear something new.


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## Autocrat (Nov 14, 2014)

nightscape said:


> Never heard his music. Going with this recording as well.


It's what I listened too as well, via Spotify. The recording is very good, and at least via Spotify the symphony is presented in a single track. This makes it difficult to talk about "movements" so my review is as follows:

The first 10 minutes was promising, the middle 15 minutes or so (with the voices) sounded strangely reminiscent of a silent movie soundtrack and the finale felt to me to be a mess of competing ideas. Always good to hear something new, but this one won't be very high up on my re-listening schedule.


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