Pettersson's Pavilion

[calyptorhynchus]

I always thought it was something like petter-son, not Peter-son, the double tt was a clue.

[Ken B]

Let me preface first by saying that any work you've heard several times becomes predictable. I mean I even find Schnittke's music predictable now as I've become accustomed to his musical language and the way he handles the music. My reaction about these more well-known symphonies of Pettersson is actually the opposite of predictable. Overall, I believe Pettersson's music is the most predictable of all composers I've heard IMHO, especially the later symphonies with their never-ending onslaughts of doom-laden orchestral crashes. What I found unpredictable, or maybe a better phrasing here is 'completely unexpected,' are those long lyrical laments in Symphonies 6-8. These symphonies started off in the abyssal zone but the music came up to breathe on many occasions and this wasn't expected given the what had come before. So I guess I like the unpredictability of Symphonies 6-8 more than the predictability of the later symphonies.

I have now heard 3, 6 to 11, 16, and chunks of 13, 14, 15. Some more than once.

I like 6,7,8.

3 seems formless. 9 has moments. One of those moments comes at the end. Not all moments are good ones.

10 I might get to like but probably not a lot. Same with 11.
13, 14, 15 I gave up on. 16 I toughed out because I'm told Pettersson is about suffering. (Is Stockhausen about causing suffering?  )

So  I'm pretty much with John.

Popular like Mahler? Never. Whatever else you can say about Mahler, he has an incredible melodic gift.
(I expect Mahler's popularity to fade some btw.)

I'll probably pick up 6-8 and let the rest slide. Will check out VC2.

[Mirror Image]

I like 6,7,8.

So  I'm pretty much with John.

These are still the best Pettersson symphonies for me. Forget the rest. Agree with what you say when comparing Pettersson with Mahler. Pettersson could never be a Mahler nor did he have an ever-expansive musical mind like Mahler. But this is really an apples/oranges comparison anyway. I think Pettersson's fate will rest in only the specialist area of classical music and his music only will appeal to a small group of listeners. I read he received some lessons from Honegger. If I were Honegger, I would have slapped some sense into this man and tell him to snap out of it!

[calyptorhynchus]

To anyone looking for introductory words to the Pettersson symphonies, never mind the nay-sayers, just listen to all of them, for my money they only get better.

[Mirror Image]

To anyone looking for introductory words to the Pettersson symphonies, never mind the nay-sayers, just listen to all of them, for my money they only get better.

Like sludge, they only get better with age.

[snyprrr]

So, does Pettersson put up with the most abuse here on GMG, or is it another?

"i WEAR YOUR SCORN LIKE A BADGE OF HONOR"
Dan Quail

[springrite]

What do you people have against pain and suffering? Such prejudice. 

So far I think 5 is the only one I did not like too much.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

I like 6,7,8.

I think that's the core of his oeuvre. If anything stands a chance of getting played more often than once in a blue moon, it's these symphonies.

I just bought the 6th Symphony (Lindberg) and had my first listen. Powerful but draining stuff.

Popular like Mahler? Never. Whatever else you can say about Mahler, he has an incredible melodic gift.

Absolutely. Pettersson will never be other than a cult composer. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

BTW I also picked up the 14th recently, because I wanted to give late AP another shot. (I hated, hated, hated the 13th!) Somewhat to my surprise, I rather like it. There's more contrast and drama in #14; it works better.

[Sergeant Rock]

BTW I also picked up the 14th recently, because I wanted to give late AP another shot. (I hated, hated, hated the 13th!) Somewhat to my surprise, I rather like it. There's more contrast and drama in #14; it works better.

The 14th is one of Lethe's favorites and her advocacy convinced me to keep at until it became one of mine too. The struggle was worth it.

Sarge

[snyprrr]

What do you people have against pain and suffering? Such prejudice. 

So far I think 5 is the only one I did not like too much.

I've sampled 4- it seems to be the only one that doesn't really have a long, slow intro. I'm not sure if it's really a strong work, but I can't wait to hear it from Lindberg. 5 is surely the weakest of the 'new' style, seeing as it's a warm-up for 6.

I really really liked 3. It sounds like the blackest 'normal' Symphony. I can't see calling AGP's only Symphony in movements "formless".

2 seems charmingly out of step with the times, but, the earlier Symphonies seem to me to suffer from that insistent recurring motif that seems to pervade always. But, as a blacker Honegger perhaps it works?

Lindberg should really step up the production time-line... mm. When will we get the definitive 9? (or even the LP issued)

I think that's the core of his oeuvre. If anything stands a chance of getting played more often than once in a blue moon, it's these symphonies.

I just bought the 6th Symphony (Lindberg) and had my first listen. Powerful but draining stuff.

Absolutely. Pettersson will never be other than a cult composer. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

BTW I also picked up the 14th recently, because I wanted to give late AP another shot. (I hated, hated, hated the 13th!) Somewhat to my surprise, I rather like it. There's more contrast and drama in #14; it works better.

Did you get the Commissiona(?). Yes, 14 is a little respite at 40minutes. But 13... ho ho ho... awesomely monstrous. If you need to sear for an hour, this is the work- is there a more draining hour out there???

[springrite]

The 14th is one of Lethe's favorites and her advocacy convinced me to keep at until it became one of mine too. The struggle was worth it.

Sarge

Outside of 6,7,8, I find 3, 10, 11 and 14 to be absolutely wonderful!

[snyprrr]

The 14th is one of Lethe's favorites and her advocacy convinced me to keep at until it became one of mine too. The struggle was worth it.

Sarge

Any thoughts on 15, 16, 17 fragment? That Saxophone Symphony never gets discussed, and, I mean, a Pettersson SAXOPHONE Symphony??? Why doesn't THAT get any attention anywhere? Isn't that somewhat of an achievement?

I still like to turn to 10-11 as a pair... they equal one-full-AGP experience!!

Also, any thought on 2-4? Give 3 another go and tell me how it hits you today?

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

The 14th is one of Lethe's favorites and her advocacy convinced me to keep at until it became one of mine too.

Yes, I've observed that folks who know 14 well speak highly of it. Another great help to me was the detailed listening guide put together by Xantus Murellet (whatever happened to him?), which I printed off the old forum. I'm still trying to crack the piece, but it keeps pulling me back, which is a good sign.

2 seems charmingly out of step with the times,

Hmm, what exactly do you mean by this? Of the early syms., I've seen #2 recommended the most.

Did you get the Commissiona(?).

No, the Arnell on CPO.

[DavidW]

Would you mind posting Xantus' guide here?  I also struggle with this composer, I really like somethings and not at all others.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

You can find the guide to #14 on this page:

http://www.good-music-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,605.615.html

He goes through all or almost all of the symphonies in the course of the thread.

[Ken B]

What do you people have against pain and suffering? Such prejudice. 

Evidently nothing if you look how often I've gotten married.

[Ken B]

veliir: "Absolutely. Pettersson will never be other than a cult composer. Not that there's anything wrong with that."

Indeed. I have my own cult composers! Virgil Thomson. Graeme Koehne. Is Hovhaness too popular to be a cult? He didn't used to be when I adopted him in the late 70s.

[DavidW]

You can find the guide to #14 on this page:

http://www.good-music-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,605.615.html

He goes through all or almost all of the symphonies in the course of the thread.

Thanks!  It's kind of sad to see all of those posters that are no longer here...

[Mirror Image]

veliir: "Absolutely. Pettersson will never be other than a cult composer. Not that there's anything wrong with that."

Indeed. I have my own cult composers! Virgil Thomson. Graeme Koehne. Is Hovhaness too popular to be a cult? He didn't used to be when I adopted him in the late 70s.

I have my own cult favorites, too: Schnittke, Hartmann, Koechlin, and Martin.

[Ken B]

I have my own cult favorites, too: Schnittke, Hartmann, Koechlin, and Martin.

Bzzzt. If we can count Martin I dibsed him in the late 70 s. But he's gone semi mainstream these days, lots available now. Never heard a note by Koechlin. Like his Mozart numbering though.