Pettersson's Pavilion

[Mirror Image]

I actually kind of liked the 13th? Does everyone hate it? Maybe not "liked" but when you're feeling incredibly sad and hopeless about the state of the world or your life or whatever it provides a really concentrated burst of fury and despair that's really cathartic somehow. Sort of the equivalent of listening to someone whom you agree with politically rant angrily about everything that's wrong with politics for an hour, which is a fairly popular genre of podcast these days >.>

The other music by Pettersson I have enjoyed includes the third concerto for strings, the 14th Symphony, and some of the chamber music..... haven't got on with the earlier symphonies but I only have the CPO set

You don't like the 7th? That's strange as this is the only Pettersson symphony where I feel he's not just ranting on endlessly about how horrible his life is. There's actually moments in the 7th where he's expressing something that comes across as genuine and heartfelt. Everything that came before and after the 7th from him has been disappointing for me. His music just really bores the living hell out of me, but I give special acknowledgement to the 7th for the afore mentioned reasons.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

I actually kind of liked the 13th? Does everyone hate it?

My problem with the 13th is the lack of balance. A symphony that is really angry and vicious all the way thru can work when it's short (see #10, which is c. 25 minutes long). But #13 just goes on and on with very little relief. Every once in a while I YouTube it, and after c. 10-15 minutes I just lose focus and switch it off.

I think the 14th works well because it's a mix of his gnarly late style with the more lyrical style of 6-8 (like #6, it is based on a Barefoot Song). But the 13th is nothing but that gnarly style, for a mind-melting almost 70 minutes!

[vandermolen]

I have Kamu's 6th, Dorati's 7th and Commisiona's 8th on LP but haven't heard them for years having no LP player hooked up to the system. For decades they were my only Pettersson, together with Ida Handel's VC2.  Valuable review of the Kamu, thanks.

Those were my four classic LPs as well - all terrific.
I've only really appreciated symphonies 2,6,7,8 and to some extent No.9 but his VC No.2 is wonderful and deeply moving IMHO.

[calyptorhynchus]

I been listening to the Concertos for Strings recently, haven't heard them too often before. It occurred to me that they are good way in to Pettersson's for those easily frightened, they are quite lyrical and lively and not that long, and yet they are echt Pettersson.
In the finale of no.2 there's a slow passage which sounds like it's on the verge of turning into Barber's Adagio for Strings, but doesn't. LOL

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Writing about the 5th and 7th Symphony, I came across this hitherto unpublished review that's now up.


Dip Your Ears, No. 221 (Barefoot & Beautiful: Allan Pettersson's Music on BIS)

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

The MusicWeb review states that 7 & 17 will be up next year.

Lindberg's 7 is now out, but it's coupled with 5, not 17. Here's a review:

https://www.classicstoday.com/review/petterssons-fifth-and-seventh-on-bis-again/

What do you folks think about the 5th? It doesn't seem to be considered one of his "core" pieces. I haven't listened to it all the way thru, but what I did hear was quite impressive in its forceful gloominess.

As for the 7th, I've still got the pioneering Dorati/Stockholm, and don't feel a need to get another version.

Hurwitz's review begins "We didn't really need this release. BIS has perfectly fine versions of these two symphonies already" - does he ever say that about the zillionth release of a Brahms or Mahler symphony?

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Lindberg's 7 is now out, but it's coupled with 5, not 17. Here's a review:

https://www.classicstoday.com/review/petterssons-fifth-and-seventh-on-bis-again/

What do you folks think about the 5th? It doesn't seem to be considered one of his "core" pieces. I haven't listened to it all the way thru, but what I did hear was quite impressive in its forceful gloominess.

As for the 7th, I've still got the pioneering Dorati/Stockholm, and don't feel a need to get another version.

Hurwitz's review begins "We didn't really need this release. BIS has perfectly fine versions of these two symphonies already" - does he ever say that about the zillionth release of a Brahms or Mahler symphony?

We totally need more recordings of rare repertoire! And this one is stunning. Wrote a review of it myself (but in German only, so far). Like the Fifth very nearly as much as the Seventh. It might well be considered part of core Pettersson.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

We totally need more recordings of rare repertoire! And this one is stunning.

Further to that thought, somebody posted on YouTube the CSO/Kojian performance of the 8th (from 1982) that I mentioned above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o2LEloGBAg&t=1953s

I think it's one of the best AP performances I've heard. (If the CSO were still issuing archival boxes, this is one performance that would deserve inclusion.)

[Baron Scarpia]

If this keeps up I'm going to have to listen to m Petterson CDs again. 

[André]

I received this one today:




The musicians are barefoot...

Maybe some day a Pettersson integral set in a slimline box will materialize...

[Mirror Image]

If this keeps up I'm going to have to listen to m Petterson CDs again. 

Stay clear of the razor blades when you do!

[Baron Scarpia]

Stay clear of the razor blades when you do!

I will listen, remote in hand, finger on the eject button.

[Daverz]

I never found Pettersson that depressing, but I haven't listened to many of the double digit symphonies except 15.

I was listening to my own rip of the Comissiona Lp of the 8th the other day.  Still great.  A mesmerizing performance of this work.  I hope Lindberg can match or surpass it.

I have yet to compare Lindberg to the other recordings of 7 I have: Segerstam, Comissiona, Dorati.  I think the music can take it! 

[Baron Scarpia]

Well, I went ahead and listened to the Concerto for Strings No 1, a piece I remember liking. Still like it, seems more mainstream than I remember it. The audio in the cpo recording a little too bright, but otherwise fine.

[Mirror Image]

I will listen, remote in hand, finger on the eject button.

Also, a viable alternative method.

[Baron Scarpia]

After finding the Concerto for String Orchestra No 1 moderately interesting, I went on to No 2, but it just seemed a bit boring. I decided to listen to a symphony instead and more-or-less randomly picked No 14. (I have about almost all of them on individual discs, mostly the cpo series, one BIS.)  I figured I'd go for the extreme and pick a late symphony. This recording was the RSO Berlin with Johan Arnell on cpo.



It more or less conformed to my stereotypical conception of Pettersson. A single movement lasting about 50 minutes, more or less constantly anguished. The coefficient of anguish certainly varied, so that there were passages which I could interpret as bordering on affirmative or tranquil, but never a movement of true joy or obvious repose. The orchestration was also somewhat unvarying. I was anticipating the ending, would it be a climax of horror, or of repose? It sort of got more intensely stressed, then sort of exhaled in a more relaxed place. Was it really necessary for it to go on for 50 minutes? Maybe.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

It more or less conformed to my stereotypical conception of Pettersson. A single movement lasting about 50 minutes, more or less constantly anguished. The coefficient of anguish certainly varied, so that there were passages which I could interpret as bordering on affirmative or tranquil, but never a movement of true joy or obvious repose. The orchestration was also somewhat unvarying. I was anticipating the ending, would it be a climax of horror, or of repose? It sort of got more intensely stressed, then sort of exhaled in a more relaxed place. Was it really necessary for it to go on for 50 minutes? Maybe.

That's the late symphony that I like, although I don't like it as much as syms. 6-8. Lindberg's recording is superior to the one on CPO; certainly he makes more sense of the structure.

[Baron Scarpia]

That's the late symphony that I like, although I don't like it as much as syms. 6-8. Lindberg's recording is superior to the one on CPO; certainly he makes more sense of the structure.

It certainly makes an impression. I don't see this as music I will be collecting multiple version of, though.

[Baron Scarpia]

Went to look at a review of Pettersson symphony no 15 on Amazon, and there is the review by Paul Best complaining about GMG (from 2006).

This Paul Best guy seems to rate most things 1 star, and he hates the new Lindberg recordings on BIS. Oh well, I guess I'll stick with the CPO series.

[Moonfish]

Went to look at a review of Pettersson symphony no 15 on Amazon, and there is the review by Paul Best complaining about GMG (from 2006).

This Paul Best guy seems to rate most things 1 star, and he hates the new Lindberg recordings on BIS. Oh well, I guess I'll stick with the CPO series.

We must have been out of bricks.....