Pettersson's Pavilion

[foxandpeng]

Hi foxandpeng. Your enthusiasm for Pettersson's music is infectious—makes me want to hear more. What I've heard is this: Symphony No.7, Violin Concerto No.2 and the Barefoot Songs. Anything else you'd recommend to me as a must-hear for someone new to his music (and possibly treading lightly)...?

Ah, that is great to hear . Definitely #7 and the VC2, but as a next step I would also recommend #6 and #8 from the symphonies, and maybe the Concerti for Strings? #6 and #8 are in the same ballpark as #7, I feel. Not easy to tread lightly with Pettersson

Never tried the Barefoot Songs. You have piqued my interest!

[foxandpeng]

I do love Allan Pettersson. Symphony 5 grows on me more every time I hear it. Just stunning. Otherworldly, really.

[vers la flamme]

There are some really stunning moments scattered throughout the 7th symphony. This composer writes in a very intriguing idiom, and I can truly see why he has such a dedicated (albeit small) following.

[foxandpeng]

Mostly cross-posting again from WAYLT with a few additional comments...

Allan Pettersson
Symphonies 4 and 16
Symphony 4
Christian Lindberg
Norrköping SO
BIS

Backtracking a little in my Pettersson ponderings after symphony 8, to relisten not just to the Lindberg performances of the first 7, but to take in the CPO and other releases. I very much like #4, with its rural melody and hymn-like snippets, to which Pettersson gave the dedication ...

'Symphony 4: To my mother, who has gone home to the life in which goodness is personified in God'

There seem to be moments of beauty and hope - even peace - interspersed with the dissonance and conflict so often present in his other symphonies. I guess there is some understandable conflict in Pettersson with themes of Christian hope vying with the personal troubles and pessimism which are his natural air. It seems to me that what has sometimes been seen as clunky or unsatisfactory in #4 may be as much to do with this tension as much as Pettersson's development and growth in musical language. Eschatological anguish? Maybe.

I continue to feel really positive about the Lindberg cycle. His reconstruction of Symphony 1, in particular, building on the 'significant torso' that Pettersson left is a win for me. It is very much in the style and spirit of Pettersson and with the occasional sliding trombone insertions, has something of the stamp of Lindberg too. Seems to fit!

Just my limited and amateurish opinion, of course. Point is, it works for me as a performance edition, as an uneducated hearer.

[vers la flamme]

Ah, that is great to hear . Definitely #7 and the VC2, but as a next step I would also recommend #6 and #8 from the symphonies, and maybe the Concerti for Strings? #6 and #8 are in the same ballpark as #7, I feel. Not easy to tread lightly with Pettersson

Never tried the Barefoot Songs. You have piqued my interest!

I ended up ordering copies of the 6th and the three String Concerti, all CPO. I am curious about the ongoing Lindberg BIS cycle, but BIS is expensive. Would love to check out the 8th too. But DAMN, the 7th is incredible. I've listened to it every day since Monday. Entrancing.

Edit: I ordered the 8th  CPO as well.

[foxandpeng]

I ended up ordering copies of the 6th and the three String Concerti, all CPO. I am curious about the ongoing Lindberg BIS cycle, but BIS is expensive. Would love to check out the 8th too. But DAMN, the 7th is incredible. I've listened to it every day since Monday. Entrancing.

Edit: I ordered the 8th  CPO as well.

I very much share your view on #7. I think the more one listens to Pettersson, the more the more his sound world become accessible and deeply resonant. I think it is hard to go wrong with any of his output, because once a work begins to be familiar after several listens, it is really captivating. Having said that, my wife and I have been making damson jam for the last couple of evenings and after an evening of hard and glam rock on Wednesday, I suggested Pettersson 4 as part of last night's creative accompaniment. Apparently, it is 'disgusting' and 'like living in a Stephen King horror film'.

#6 and #8 have several fans here, as this thread shows, so those CPO recordings will be a winner. I look forward to your thoughts on the String Concerti; I think my preferences are 1, 3 and 2 in that order.

[staxomega]

I'm not sure if this was posted to our new releases thread yet, someone on another board said the BIS CEO is planning a box set for Pettersson. They must be planning to record several works not yet out on BIS because his exact words were it will include "every note he ever wrote"

[Maestro267]

Probably doesn't need to be until we actually see it on any new release mailing lists or however the folks who post that sort of stuff in the thread get their info.

[foxandpeng]

I'm not sure if this was posted to our new releases thread yet, someone on another board said the BIS CEO is planning a box set for Pettersson. They must be planning to record several works not yet out on BIS because his exact words were it will include "every note he ever wrote"

That is really great news! Every note he ever wrote? Wow!

[vers la flamme]

Hey, that's awesome news. While I'm not sure that I need to hear every note Pettersson ever wrote, at least at this stage in my life, it's always amazing to see a more or less neglected composer receive this degree of advocacy.

[Lisztianwagner]

I was deeply struck by Pettersson's Violin Concerto No. 2, such a powerfully emotional composition. It has gloomy and tense textures, full of sadness, anger and sufferance, so violently evoked by the dissonant trimbric weaving of the orchestra and the even more raw and strident soloist, that it is absolutely overwhelming; I agree it sounds like hearing the instruments screaming and it leaves a great impression; but despite the tortuous pace and the harmonic tensions, as well as a glimpse of melancholy that can be perceived anyway, the structure also develops at some point a more lyrical atmosphere, softening the contrasts little by little, till the serene, touching ending, as a sort of consolation may be found.
It sounds as a very demanding work as Schönberg's Violin Concerto, reminding that also for similar sharp and fiery timbres, especially by the violin.

[vers la flamme]

I was deeply struck by Pettersson's Violin Concerto No. 2, such a powerfully emotional composition. It has gloomy and tense textures, full of sadness, anger and sufferance, so violently evoked by the dissonant trimbric weaving of the orchestra and the even more raw and strident soloist, that it is absolutely overwhelming; I agree it sounds like hearing the instruments screaming and it leaves a great impression; but despite the tortuous pace and the harmonic tensions, as well as a glimpse of melancholy that can be perceived anyway, the structure also develops at some point a more lyrical atmosphere, softening the contrasts little by little, till the serene, touching ending, as a sort of consolation may be found.
It sounds as a very demanding work as Schönberg's Violin Concerto, reminding that also for similar sharp and fiery timbres, especially by the violin.

Your impression was very similar to mine Ilaria, only you expressed yours a lot more eloquently! (I never was all that great about talking about music.) All I'll say is that I enjoyed it so much I listened to it three times this week after hearing it for the first time on Tuesday. I'm happy you had such a positive impression of it too. Stunning performance from all forces. Makes me wish Blomstedt had conducted more Pettersson.

[Lisztianwagner]

Your impression was very similar to mine Ilaria, only you expressed yours a lot more eloquently! (I never was all that great about talking about music.) All I'll say is that I enjoyed it so much I listened to it three times this week after hearing it for the first time on Tuesday. I'm happy you had such a positive impression of it too. Stunning performance from all forces. Makes me wish Blomstedt had conducted more Pettersson.

Agreed, I had great expectations on Blomstedt and he didn't fail about giving a gorgeous performance; I wonder what he could have done with one of the symphonies if he had recorded it, the famous 7th Symphony, for example!

I'll try Pettersson's Violin Concerto No.1 too.

[vers la flamme]

Agreed, I had great expectations on Blomstedt and he didn't fail about giving a gorgeous performance; I wonder what he could have done with one of the symphonies if he had recorded it, the famous 7th Symphony, for example!

I'll try Pettersson's Violin Concerto No.1 too.

I haven't heard that one yet, but I do find the prospect of a concerto for string quartet plus violin soloist intriguing.

[foxandpeng]

So encouraging to see the Pettersson conversation flowing so enthusiastically and eloquently, both here and on the WAYLT thread! I have had a few days away from being able to listen to anything much due to intense busyness both at work and at home, but hope to land back in with a bang this evening while my wife is at her watercolour class. Pettersson's early symphonies will be my chosen point of re-entry before I continue from 9 onwards later in the week

[MusicTurner]

So encouraging to see the Pettersson conversation flowing so enthusiastically and eloquently, both here and on the WAYLT thread! I have had a few days away from being able to listen to anything much due to intense busyness both at work and at home, but hope to land back in with a bang this evening while my wife is at her watercolour class. Pettersson's early symphonies will be my chosen point of re-entry before I continue from 9 onwards later in the week

I've mentioned it many times, but Comissiona in the 9th provides a very different, much slower and IMO much better performance of the 9th, compared to the very fast and frantic CPO and BIS. It's on youtube.

Also, Kamu should be heard in the 6th.

Concerning an oncoming complete edition, I'm actually not aware of any works not recorded now. Cf also the list of works on the Pettersson society home page.
(I haven't checked the fragment of the 17th symphony, and the Symphonic Movement though, that I have on MC somewhere).

[Karl Henning]

I've mentioned it many times, but Comissiona in the 9th provides a very different, much slower and IMO much better performance of the 9th, compared to CPO and BIS. It's on youtube.

Thanks for the mention, will give it a listen:

Pettersson Symphony № 9 (1970) Sergiu Comissiona

https://www.youtube.com/v/nO_SxlgDBfA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO_SxlgDBfA

[foxandpeng]

Thanks for the mention, will give it a listen:

Pettersson Symphony № 9 (1970) Sergiu Comissiona

https://www.youtube.com/v/nO_SxlgDBfA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO_SxlgDBfA

+1

[aukhawk]

It's available to download or buy as (2x)CD - restored from vinyl I think - from Klassic Haus
link to download page

[Lisztianwagner]

I haven't heard that one yet, but I do find the prospect of a concerto for string quartet plus violin soloist intriguing.

I can share the feeling, as a matter of fact, it sounds listening to a String Quintet or a Chamber Concerto more than a Violin Concerto, but it's an extremely interesting work; the small instrumentation gives impression of a purpose to concentrate the expressiveness and of inner deepness.