Kurt Atterberg (1887-1974)

Started by Guido, March 18, 2009, 06:38:13 AM

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Grazioso

Speaking of Atterberg, how do the symphony recordings on Sterling stack up compared to the CPO set (which I have and love)?
There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact. --Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

vandermolen

Quote from: Grazioso on March 24, 2009, 04:42:53 AM
Speaking of Atterberg, how do the symphony recordings on Sterling stack up compared to the CPO set (which I have and love)?


I have the Sterling version of No 7 and 8, which I marginally prefer to the CPO CD - but there is little in it.  The slow movement of No 8 (which I love) is marginally slower on Sterling.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Dundonnell

Quote from: vandermolen on March 24, 2009, 06:21:49 AM

I have the Sterling version of No 7 and 8, which I marginally prefer to the CPO CD - but there is little in it.  The slow movement of No 8 (which I love) is marginally slower on Sterling.

That is interesting! It is the Sterling version which is in my collection. The critics preferred the CPO but I can now stick happily with the Sterling :)

J

Not that the CPO performances are ever less than very good, - but in every case (save one) where alternative recordings exist I prefer them.  The one exception is No.6 where I find CPO preferable to BIS.
In No.3 I never listen to CPO but only Caprice/Ehrling, and the Discofil CD with No.2 is essential especially for the coupling (the wonderful Suite No.3).

Dundonnell

Quote from: J on March 24, 2009, 11:45:48 AM
Not that the CPO performances are ever less than very good, - but in every case (save one) where alternative recordings exist I prefer them.  The one exception is No.6 where I find CPO preferable to BIS.
In No.3 I never listen to CPO but only Caprice/Ehrling, and the Discofil CD with No.2 is essential especially for the coupling (the wonderful Suite No.3).

Good to hear all this :)

I have the Sterling cd of No. 1(Swedish Radio SO/Stig Westerberg) and No.4(Norrkoping SO/Sten Frykberg), the Discofil cd of No.2(Swedish Radio SO/Westerberg) coupled with the Suite No.3, the Caprice cd of No.3(Stockholm Philharmonic/Sixten Ehrling) coupled with the Horn Concerto, the Musica Sveciae cd of No.5(Stockholm Philharmonic/Westerberg) coupled with music by Kallstenius and Oskar Lindberg, the BIS cd of No.6(Norrkoping Symphony Orchestra/Jun'ichi Hirokami) coupled with A Varmland Rhapsody and Ballad Without Words, the Sterling cd of Nos. 7 and 8(Malmo Symphony Orchestra/Michail Jurowski) and the CPO cd of No.9(North German Radio Philharmonic/Ari Rasilainen).

Looks as though I haven't done badly...except for No.6 perhaps :)

Dundonnell

For my comparison of Atterberg's prize-winning Symphony No.6 with the much better 'Passacaglia' by the Norwegian Ludvig Irgens Jensen-see the Scandinavian Composers' thread :)

jowcol

I've been dipping into Atterberg's symphonic cycle lately.   I can't seem to stop listening to 5 -- a nice "Funereal" symphony.  Agreed about the slow movement in that- it's achingly beautiful.  The pairing of 3 and 6 is nice, and I'm also liking 7+8. (I agree with Jeffrey-- the slow movement in 8 is another winner, but 5 seems to be beating me ).   9 hasn't clicked with me either.  Maybe I'd do better without teh solo voices.

(I've also been digging on Holmboe's Sinfonia Sacra - #4- which has a chorus, but it doesn't distract me from the music like the solo voices in the Atterberg 9.  But then again, I just may be a Phillistine.)

"If it sounds good, it is good."
Duke Ellington

vandermolen

Quote from: jowcol on May 20, 2009, 11:43:39 AM
I've been dipping into Atterberg's symphonic cycle lately.   I can't seem to stop listening to 5 -- a nice "Funereal" symphony.  Agreed about the slow movement in that- it's achingly beautiful.  The pairing of 3 and 6 is nice, and I'm also liking 7+8. (I agree with Jeffrey-- the slow movement in 8 is another winner, but 5 seems to be beating me ).   9 hasn't clicked with me either.  Maybe I'd do better without teh solo voices.

(I've also been digging on Holmboe's Sinfonia Sacra - #4- which has a chorus, but it doesn't distract me from the music like the solo voices in the Atterberg 9.  But then again, I just may be a Phillistine.)



Must listen to Atterberg No 5. Holmboe's 4th is a much more rewarding work (great opening) than Atterberg's 9th in my opinion.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich

Atterberg 5-2 (Lento) is teh rox.  ;D

Wanderer

Which version of the piano concerto is preferable: the Derwinger/Rasilainen (CPO) or the Smith/Andersson (Sterling - coupled with the violin concerto)?

Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich

I only have the cpo Piano conc., cannot compare... and I realize, I've just listened twice to it. I'll have to repeat listening...

Currently I'm stuck with the 4th symphony, especially the wonderful 2nd movement, Andante. It's somewhat glorious and to me the perfect welcoming of spring.

Guido

#31
Just listened to the cello sonata and cello concerto again - these are just superb - absolutely ravishing and thrillingly inventive, if always quite traditional - steadfastly tonal but beautifully nuanced - not unlike Schoeck in this way actually - ready to dig into my complete symphonies boxed set now!
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

Guido

I'd also be interested to hear about which Atterberg piano concerto is better - one is coupled with the violin concerto
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Atterberg-Piano-Concerto-Violin/dp/B00003E49E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1268698322&sr=8-2

which I'd also like to hear so I'm inclined towards that one...
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

John Copeland

Wow. Imagine.  Kurt Atterberg, DORMANT on GMG for almost three years.  Shocking.   :'(
Meanwhile, I recently bought the new Jarvi / GSO release of Kurt Atterbergs symphonies 4, 6 , Värmlands Rhapsody and Suite No. 3 in Flac format from Chandos.  I listened to it twice today, and my verdict is this: 
If you want Atterberg to be exciting, bright and revelatory, Rasilainen is the must have from CPO.  8)  If you want to entertain some friends with brandy and cigars and talk generally but quickly about a broad sweep of things, buy Jarvi from Chandos on March 1st.   :o
This kind of thing.

I am going to get hold of other Atterberg recordings now, as it is unfair of me to hold up two when there are others just as worthy and I have become ravenous to hear as much more Atterberg as I can.  ::)

Mirror Image

I'm quite content with my Atterberg symphony set on CPO. I figured Jarvi wouldn't deliver the goods. :-\

lescamil

Quote from: Wanderer on August 30, 2009, 01:16:58 AM
Which version of the piano concerto is preferable: the Derwinger/Rasilainen (CPO) or the Smith/Andersson (Sterling - coupled with the violin concerto)?

I can offer an opinion on both. The Derwinger is played note perfect and with confidence, but is pretty boring and sounds extremely uptight. Some tempi are also taken a bit too slow, I think. It just sounds extremely taut and cautious. The Smith is played much more romantically and with more virtuosity, but there are some notes missed on occasion. Still, I would go with the Smith, just because he interprets the work in a way that is more interesting.

I am surprised not many people have mentioned the piano concerto. I think this is one of the best overlooked late romantic piano concertos and has some great melodies, harmonies, and piano writing in it. It needs a new recording quite badly, for the two currently in existence have some issues. If the Derwinger were not already on CPO, I'd want a solid pianist like Michael Korstick to record it.
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Brian

Quote from: lescamil on February 05, 2013, 01:52:24 PM
I can offer an opinion on both. The Derwinger is played note perfect and with confidence, but is pretty boring and sounds extremely uptight. Some tempi are also taken a bit too slow, I think. It just sounds extremely taut and cautious. The Smith is played much more romantically and with more virtuosity, but there are some notes missed on occasion. Still, I would go with the Smith, just because he interprets the work in a way that is more interesting.

I am surprised not many people have mentioned the piano concerto. I think this is one of the best overlooked late romantic piano concertos and has some great melodies, harmonies, and piano writing in it. It needs a new recording quite badly, for the two currently in existence have some issues. If the Derwinger were not already on CPO, I'd want a solid pianist like Michael Korstick to record it.
I wouldn't be too surprised if Louis Lortie shows up playing the piano concerto on the new Chandos/Jarvi series, but that is a mere guess. Thanks for those reviews, have not yet heard this work.

John Copeland


Mirror Image

Hey John, is Atterberg your number one composer or is Hans Rott?

John Copeland

Quote from: Mirror Image on February 06, 2013, 08:55:57 PM
Hey John, is Atterberg your number one composer or is Hans Rott?

Bruckner is.   :laugh: 
Hans Rott wrote the Symphony that had the biggest effect on me.
Atterberg is one of my favourite composers, because his music is so photogenically and cinematically entertaining.
Rangstrom too.  And Berg.  I love all the Swedish stuff so much.  There is no logic for it.  I need help.   :P