Kurt Atterberg (1887-1974)

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

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vers la flamme

Anyone listening to this composer lately? I just checked out his 1st symphony. I hate to dredge this up after reading a bit of vitriol on the previous two pages of the thread, but I was indeed reminded of Elgar in places :laugh:

vandermolen

Quote from: vers la flamme on September 25, 2022, 07:53:33 AM
Anyone listening to this composer lately? I just checked out his 1st symphony. I hate to dredge this up after reading a bit of vitriol on the previous two pages of the thread, but I was indeed reminded of Elgar in places :laugh:
Yes, I think highly of his music. My favourites are symphonies 2,3 'West Coast Pictures',5 'Funebre' and 8 which has a beautiful slow movement.
"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).

relm1

Quote from: vandermolen on September 25, 2022, 10:41:19 PM
Yes, I think highly of his music. My favourites are symphonies 2,3 'West Coast Pictures',5 'Funebre' and 8 which has a beautiful slow movement.

Agree with your list - also add the concerti and Suite No. 3 for Violin, Viola, and strings is a favorite.  Really all the symphonies are fine (maybe No. 9 excepted but I haven't heard it in a while) but Jeffrey's list are highlights. 

Spotted Horses

Quote from: vers la flamme on September 25, 2022, 07:53:33 AM
Anyone listening to this composer lately? I just checked out his 1st symphony. I hate to dredge this up after reading a bit of vitriol on the previous two pages of the thread, but I was indeed reminded of Elgar in places :laugh:

My memory of the music (having listened years ago) is that it is not "groundbreaking" but that it reflects wonderful melodic and harmonic invention, and skillful use of the orchestra (orchestration). Perhaps the music could remind someone of early Sibelius, or less neurotic Brahms.
There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind. - Duke Ellington

vandermolen

Quote from: Spotted Horses on September 26, 2022, 07:18:53 AM
My memory of the music (having listened years ago) is that it is not "groundbreaking" but that it reflects wonderful melodic and harmonic invention, and skillful use of the orchestra (orchestration). Perhaps the music could remind someone of early Sibelius, or less neurotic Brahms.
Love the 'neurotic Brahms' comment!
"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).

Spotted Horses

Quote from: vandermolen on September 26, 2022, 07:58:19 AM
Love the 'neurotic Brahms' comment!

Mind you, Brahms is my favorite composer. :)
There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind. - Duke Ellington

Karl Henning

Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Maestro267

Finally got my hands on the CPO complete symphonies box! Starting off with No. 3 cuz that's what I fancy starting with and wow this is stunningly gorgeous music! Feels like more of it is in B minor than the stated home key of D major. The structure bears comparison with the mighty Bax 6 too, with two 9-10-minute movements followed by a finale almost twice that.

Florestan

Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

kyjo

Quote from: Maestro267 on December 03, 2022, 09:48:07 AMFinally got my hands on the CPO complete symphonies box! Starting off with No. 3 cuz that's what I fancy starting with and wow this is stunningly gorgeous music! Feels like more of it is in B minor than the stated home key of D major. The structure bears comparison with the mighty Bax 6 too, with two 9-10-minute movements followed by a finale almost twice that.

Is this your first time hearing any of Atterberg's music? I'm quite surprised, considering you listen to a wide range of lesser-known 20th century symphonic works. Anyway, welcome to the wonderful world of Atterberg! :D
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

kyjo

Quote from: Florestan on December 03, 2022, 12:35:19 PMOne can have much worse favorites.  :D

Might I ask if you've listened to any of Atterberg's music, Andrei? I'd think you'd enjoy it very much, but I could be wrong of course. 8)
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

kyjo

Quote from: Spotted Horses on September 26, 2022, 07:18:53 AMMy memory of the music (having listened years ago) is that it is not "groundbreaking" but that it reflects wonderful melodic and harmonic invention, and skillful use of the orchestra (orchestration). Perhaps the music could remind someone of early Sibelius, or less neurotic Brahms.

Give me music of wonderful melodic/harmonic invention and skillful orchestration over "groundbreaking" music any day! :) I agree about the stylistic connection with early Sibelius, but I don't hear any Brahms in Atterberg's music. R. Strauss' influence pops up from time to time as well, but overall Atterberg is his own man and has an instantly recognizable idiom based in the fertile soil of Swedish folk music.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

Maestro267

Quote from: kyjo on December 03, 2022, 02:14:24 PMIs this your first time hearing any of Atterberg's music? I'm quite surprised, considering you listen to a wide range of lesser-known 20th century symphonic works. Anyway, welcome to the wonderful world of Atterberg! :D

Apart from the odd preview here and there, yes. I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of lesser-known 20th century symphonic works. This set has been on my wishlist for a while, so I'm glad to have it in my collection at last.

Decided to start my day with the Ninth Symphony.

vandermolen

Quote from: Maestro267 on December 03, 2022, 11:53:46 PMApart from the odd preview here and there, yes. I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of lesser-known 20th century symphonic works. This set has been on my wishlist for a while, so I'm glad to have it in my collection at last.

Decided to start my day with the Ninth Symphony.
I don't like No.9 much.
I'd recommend 2,3,5 and 8 (slow movement) 5 'Funebre' and 3 'West Coast Pictures' are my favourites.
"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).

Maestro267

Currently listening to Atterberg's Symphony No. 2. It's interesting to note that it was initially performed with just the opening two movements, and I can fully see how that would work. The way the 2nd movement starts with the same note (and dynamic) that the first movement ended with gives it a sense of *attacca*, while the ending of the 2nd movement does have a sense of finality to it. So I do need to try not to listen to it as a two-movement symphony with a third tacked on to the end.

relm1

Quote from: Maestro267 on January 13, 2023, 12:25:15 PMCurrently listening to Atterberg's Symphony No. 2. It's interesting to note that it was initially performed with just the opening two movements, and I can fully see how that would work. The way the 2nd movement starts with the same note (and dynamic) that the first movement ended with gives it a sense of *attacca*, while the ending of the 2nd movement does have a sense of finality to it. So I do need to try not to listen to it as a two-movement symphony with a third tacked on to the end.

That is interesting.  I wonder what other works are like that where the composer considered it completed but after it was performed realized another movement that is radically different was needed.  For example, sure there are lots of examples of major revisions such as Sibelius and his No. 5 where the first version is quite different from the final version but that is an evolution of the piece rather than an entirely new movement was added after the composer considered it already complete. 

vandermolen

Quote from: relm1 on January 14, 2023, 06:07:13 AMThat is interesting.  I wonder what other works are like that where the composer considered it completed but after it was performed realized another movement that is radically different was needed.  For example, sure there are lots of examples of major revisions such as Sibelius and his No. 5 where the first version is quite different from the final version but that is an evolution of the piece rather than an entirely new movement was added after the composer considered it already complete. 
The beautiful and haunting 'Epilogue' to Frank Bridge's war-torn Cello Concerto 'Oration' was apparently an afterthought.
"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).

kyjo

Quote from: Maestro267 on January 13, 2023, 12:25:15 PMCurrently listening to Atterberg's Symphony No. 2. It's interesting to note that it was initially performed with just the opening two movements, and I can fully see how that would work. The way the 2nd movement starts with the same note (and dynamic) that the first movement ended with gives it a sense of *attacca*, while the ending of the 2nd movement does have a sense of finality to it. So I do need to try not to listen to it as a two-movement symphony with a third tacked on to the end.

Even though the piece works perfectly well ending with the second movement and its majestic conclusion, I'm glad Atterberg later added the third movement, which is tremendously exciting and thematically memorable.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

kyjo

Quote from: vandermolen on January 14, 2023, 10:39:28 AMThe beautiful and haunting 'Epilogue' to Frank Bridge's war-torn Cello Concerto 'Oration' was apparently an afterthought.

Well, I'm sure glad Bridge had that afterthought, because what a profoundly moving Epilogue it is!
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

Maestro267

Quote from: kyjo on January 14, 2023, 01:03:55 PMEven though the piece works perfectly well ending with the second movement and its majestic conclusion, I'm glad Atterberg later added the third movement, which is tremendously exciting and thematically memorable.

Oh definitely! I've had the end of the symphony stuck in my head for days since this listen. I'm really growing to love pretty much all of these symphonies now they're getting their 2nd or 3rd listens.