Pettersson's Pavilion

[Sef]

http://www.eclassical.com/composers/pettersson-allan/pettersson-symphony-no6.html

Flac or MP3.

[Lilas Pastia]

I see that they also have a recording of symphonies 1 and 2. I though the first symphony had never been published? And I wonder how this new second compares to the old Swedish Discofil disc I came to know the work through ?

[Lilas Pastia]

I hear a lot of Pettersson in Honegger, and since I've been listening to Roussel this week, I've been hearing things there too. But, definitely, I think AGP's and Honegger's melodic home turf is the same: bitterness & beauty side by side. Can't some of AGP's melodic islands be seen in the same light as the trumpet obbligato melody at the end of Honegger's Symphony No.2? Aren't the same feelings evinced in both AGP and the slow movement to Honegger's Concerto de Camera?

Good question. The Honegger second's first movement definitely inhabits a sound world not that far removed from Pettersson's. To my ears the trumpet obbligato in the coda has a feeling of hard won victory, something close to an optimistic ending coming after twenty minutes of turmoil and anguish. With Petersson these 'melodic islands' at best evince a feeling of succour, of melancholic consolation. I guess Honegger, for all his abrasiveness and dead-seriousness, had at least experienced a modicum of peace and hapiness in his life. Pettersson is a composer where 95% of the writing evinces negative feelings and emotions. I see a kinship with that bleakest of Bergman's films, Winter Lights.

[Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich]

As Sef mentioned, it's available on eClassical (oh I can't resist them ) even as a 96 kHz FLAC file. I bought it - I listened to it only on my computer yet, but soon on my stereo. I enjoyed it but cannot tell in detail -yet. I think tempo is pretty much like on the cpo/Trojahn release (I love Trojahn most and honestly, there's no need for another Pettersson 6, I thought ) There are differences to the Trojahn interpretation, but I need further listens.

[snyprrr]

Good question. The Honegger second's first movement definitely inhabits a sound world not that far removed from Pettersson's. To my ears the trumpet obbligato in the coda has a feeling of hard won victory, something close to an optimistic ending coming after twenty minutes of turmoil and anguish. With Petersson these 'melodic islands' at best evince a feeling of succour, of melancholic consolation. I guess Honegger, for all his abrasiveness and dead-seriousness, had at least experienced a modicum of peace and hapiness in his life. Pettersson is a composer where 95% of the writing evinces negative feelings and emotions. I see a kinship with that bleakest of Bergman's films, Winter Lights.

Bergman & Pettersson,... ahhh, now there's a pair, haha!! Sale on razorblades...

[The new erato]

Bergman & Pettersson,... ahhh, now there's a pair, haha!! Sale on razorblades...

You forgot Strindberg; he makes those other two look like happy cats.

[snyprrr]

You forgot Strindberg; he makes those other two look like happy cats.

Ohhh,... I just don't have the energy today, haha,... the invocation has set up a potential tempest of ranting in my brain,... OH, how I want to vent and scream and kick,...

I have a picture of myself as a very young boy, with that typical "Oh! Such a Serious Little Man' look on my face. Aye! Ack! Oi! Vey! Ya!,... uff da!!

[Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich]

Listened to this again. Is it maybe en par with the CPO release? I give it further listens. But two problems (for me): a) the snare drum accompaning the looong coda (somewhere at 37:00) sounds kind of veery muffled. As if it was residing far away in some corner of the room. Very different to how it was on the CPO CD.
Before 37:00 there are two louder outbreaks, especially the first one (listen to 33:00 ff.) sounds as if they used heavy dynamics compression. But I'm not sure, because in the second appearance at 36:30 the volume does not drop down...

[Sergeant Rock]

Listened to this again. Is it maybe en par with the CPO release? I give it further listens. But two problems (for me): a) the snare drum accompaning the looong coda (somewhere at 37:00) sounds kind of veery muffled. As if it was residing far away in some corner of the room. Very different to how it was on the CPO CD.
Before 37:00 there are two louder outbreaks, especially the first one (listen to 33:00 ff.) sounds as if they used heavy dynamics compression. But I'm not sure, because in the second appearance at 36:30 the volume does not drop down...

Thanks for the comments. I may soon have a chance to listen myself. Received mail from Amazon today saying I should have the CD on the 7th.

Sarge

[Uncle Connie]

I see that they also have a recording of symphonies 1 and 2. I though the first symphony had never been published? And I wonder how this new second compares to the old Swedish Discofil disc I came to know the work through ?

I just ordered that and it ought to be along in a few days.  The review that I've seen tells us that the conductor, Christian Lindberg, put together a performing version of whatever cohesive sketches remained of the First, and one review says it sounds like  "a lost half-hour of the Second."  The disc also comes with a DVD that explains and discusses the process of making this edition, and I sincerely hope it's Area I format and in English (or with subtitles), because any other area, and I can't play it; and my foreign languages (except Spanish which is a very unlikely possibility) are hopeless.

My only Second is the CPO.  The earlier Discofil mentioned I knew once existed, but I've never even seen it for sale.  And probably couldn't afford it if I did see it.

[Lilas Pastia]

I've hung unto that Swedish Discofil disc ever since I bought it almost 20 years ago. I didn't think then that there would be integral sets from CPO and BIS. And now a third one !

Stig Westerberg is the excellent conductor, and the orchestra plays well, but the sound is on the rough side (1966 vintage). Let us know what Linderg makes of it !

[hemmesjo]

The earlier Discofil mentioned I knew once existed, but I've never even seen it for sale.  And probably couldn't afford it if I did see it.

I just saw it on amazon, used for $8.00.

Dan

[Uncle Connie]

I just saw it on amazon, used for $8.00.

Dan

Well, that does it, I'm obviously going blind.  I've been skipping over that picture in the Amazon listings thinking it was something else.  Anyway, thank you very much, and there is no $8. copy any longer. 

[Uncle Connie]

I've hung unto that Swedish Discofil disc ever since I bought it almost 20 years ago. I didn't think then that there would be integral sets from CPO and BIS. And now a third one !

Stig Westerberg is the excellent conductor, and the orchestra plays well, but the sound is on the rough side (1966 vintage). Let us know what Linderg makes of it !

"And now a third one?"  No, I think it will still be just two cycles.  Apparently BIS is intending to have Christian Lindberg record the symphonies that Segerstam did NOT do already, and then integrate the two partial series as if it were one.  Considering that all of Segerstam's are still for sale (BIS is not known to discontinue much of anything in its catalogue), this makes some economic sense at least - why compete against yourself?

I anticipate the new 1/2 disc arriving today or tomorrow.  A report will follow soon.

[CRCulver]

"And now a third one?"  No, I think it will still be just two cycles.  Apparently BIS is intending to have Christian Lindberg record the symphonies that Segerstam did NOT do already, and then integrate the two partial series as if it were one.

That contradicts the rumour I heard that after Lindberg has conducted what Segerstam hasn't, he'll keep going and eventually have a cycle of his own.

Considering that all of Segerstam's are still for sale (BIS is not known to discontinue much of anything in its catalogue), this makes some economic sense at least - why compete against yourself?

BIS has duplicated some repertoire, notably three Sibelius cycles.

[Uncle Connie]

That contradicts the rumour I heard that after Lindberg has conducted what Segerstam hasn't, he'll keep going and eventually have a cycle of his own.

Then I sincerely hope your rumor is correct and mine is wrong, because the more we have of Pettersson to compare, the more useful, I'd say.  And your rumor also takes care of the little matter of what to do about the Moshe Atzmon 5th....

BIS has duplicated some repertoire, notably three Sibelius cycles.

Yes indeed, but you must admit the retail market for major Sibelius must be several orders of magnitude greater than that for Pettersson.  With Sibelius there really is the possibility of multiple cycles equaling multiple profit statements.

[Lilas Pastia]

I anticipate the new 1/2 disc arriving today or tomorrow.  A report will follow soon.

Did you pay 1/2 price for it? 

[Kontrapunctus]

Finally--Pettersson on SACD. I have a multi-channel system, so I'm looking forward to putting through its paces with this disc.

[J]

Not sure if it's been mentioned here, but to my mind the finest reading of Pettersson's 6th (surpassing Kamu and the CPO in my judgement, - good as both of those are in many respects) is the premiere performance by Stig Westerberg (probably still available for DL on the UC forum).  Can't say just what makes it so (or don't want to work that hard at the moment), - but I repeatedly recognize its greater impact on me than the others.  In my own hierarchy, I place it at the pinnacle of "great" AP Symphony recordings together with Dorati's 7th & Comissiona's 8th.  For everyone who loves the piece, it shouldn't be missed.

[Uncle Connie]

Did you pay 1/2 price for it? 

You know, by purest coincidence that's almost exactly what I paid.      Amazon lists their retail price at US $24.02, and I paid $12.73.  I do so love these private-party discounters - I think I probably got a copy that someone bought and hated.  ("Played once," it said.)  Their loss, my gain.   


On another point, more useful to others:  The DVD that comes with the CD of the First & Second is Region 0 (universal), which is really all they could do considering how many countries sell BIS discs; and the language is Swedish but with subtitles in English, German and French.  I haven't played it yet; that report will have to follow.

Another item:  The matter of whether Christian Lindberg will do a complete series, or just complete what Segerstam began.  The following doesn't quite prove anything, but I think it's suggestive:  In the booklet to the 1&2 disc is this statement:  "Future recording plans [for Lindberg] with BIS include the completion of the label's series of the symphonies by Allan Pettersson with the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra...."  To me, the clear implication is that BIS is defining the series as being by the orchestra and the label, not specifically by a single given conductor.  Perhaps a specific enquiry to BIS via their e-mail address in the booklet is warranted.  I'll let you know if/when they answer.