Kurt Atterberg (1887-1974)

[Roasted Swan]

A mesmerizing YouTube performance of probably Atterberg's most gorgeous creation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9_jouKfyb8

"This video isn't available anymore"

[Maestro267]

Ah yes, Atterberg's masterpiece Den här videon är inte tillgänglig längre

[Symphonic Addict]

The only works I've seen that appear on live performances on YouTube are three of his concertos (cello, horn and piano, respectively):

Given the grandiosity and gorgeousness of the symphonies, I wonder why no orchestras have performed them and uploaded the videos of the concerts.

[Maestro267]

Yeah I would've thought this year would've been the year for an Atterberg revival, even a small one, it being the 50th anniversary of his death and all.

[Symphonic Addict]

Yesterday I finished my traversal of his symphonies with the 9th 'Sinfonia visionaria'. I was curious to hear it again to find out if my perception was going to be more positive or negative this time. First of all, the piece in question has a form more like a cantata than a proper symphony, so we should be prepared to judge it differently and expect another sort of development of ideas (at least it worked in my experience). Atterberg took inspiration from an ancient nordic legend referring to how evil will lead the world to destruction, so accordingly the climate of the piece resembles a dark, brooding, yet somewhat austere nature/demeanor. Atterberg disliked atonality and dodecaphony, so he used a twelve-tone motive to evoke evil (very clever) and a more dissonant language overall, but not all the piece goes on that line and it maintains tonal elements along its duration. I consider that he partly succeeded at recreating a fatalistic argument with the human voices and the orchestra imprinting sinister, mysterious passages, but somehow the music doesn't reach significative or crucial moments where one says "wow, that was spectacular" and there were not instances with a satisfying tautness-relaxation contrast. I was expecting several real powerful moments, but they never materialized properly.

The recording I listened to was that on Chandos with Järvi et al. It helped that it's a quicker rendition than the CPO one under Rasilainen (34 min. vs 40 min.). Well, having said that, I must say that the work grew on me, but it does have its flaws.

After this revisitation, my order of preference of all his symphonies is like this:

3, 5, 2, 6, 1, 8, for strings, 7, 4 and 9.

I remember having said that I had lost a little of interest in he 3rd and I think it had to do with listening to the Caprice recording which I find a little underwhelming. Listening to the CPO recording, my love for that stellar creation has grown again and remains alive in my dearest preferences.

[Symphonic Addict]

Did Howard Shore know the Symphony No. 3 by Atterberg when he wrote one of the motives/tunes for his film The Lord of the Rings?

The motif in question at 14:25 mark in the 3rd movement of that symphony:

Practically the same motif, but with different harmony at 0:40 mark:

Or didn't Atterberg write it and he borrowed it from Swedish folk songs?

[krummholz]

Did Howard Shore know the Symphony No. 3 by Atterberg when he wrote one of the motives/tunes for his film The Lord of the Rings?

The motif in question at 14:25 mark in the 3rd movement of that symphony:

Practically the same motif, but with different harmony at 0:40 mark:

Or didn't Atterberg write it and he borrowed it from Swedish folk songs?

Interesting resemblance! Would have to listen to the entire work to see if that phrase evolves from something else, or just appears for the first time there - he seems to make much of it from that point though.

[arpeggio]

I can not remember where I read this but there is an interesting story of Rachard Danielpour's Anima Mundi.

He thought he came up with a great original idea in one of the movements.  After the premier he was approached by several members of the audience on how they thought it was neat that he quoted Borodin's In the Steppes of Asia.  He checked it out and was stunned.  He had no idea that he quoted Borodin

[Symphonic Addict]

Interesting resemblance! Would have to listen to the entire work to see if that phrase evolves from something else, or just appears for the first time there - he seems to make much of it from that point though.

It would be helpful, but IIRC, that motif just appears from that part on.

[Symphonic Addict]

I can not remember where I read this but there is an interesting story of Rachard Danielpour's Anima Mundi.

He thought he came up with a great original idea in one of the movements.  After the premier he was approached by several members of the audience on how they thought it was neat that he quoted Borodin's In the Steppes of Asia..  He checked it out and was stunned.  He had no idea that he quoted Borodin

Perhaps he had heard it unconsciously previously? It's rather curious that coincidences like those may occur.

[relm1]

I don't hear it as that big a similarity but rather both have a nordic feel, similar to how Sibelius phrases his themes, long notes followed by a rapid succession of short notes, then a long note.

Like this in the cellos.
https://youtu.be/2ZST63q-vGM?t=91

I hear both Shore's LOTR "ring theme" and Atterberg as channeling the Nordic mistiness of Sibelius.

[krummholz]

It would be helpful, but IIRC, that motif just appears from that part on.

It's probably coincidence then, IMO. The harmony is totally different, and as @relm1 pointed out above, Shore's inspiration could just as easily have been Sibelius. (I don't know Atterberg well at all and don't know to what extent he was influenced by the Finn.)

[relm1]

It's probably coincidence then, IMO. The harmony is totally different, and as @relm1 pointed out above, Shore's inspiration could just as easily have been Sibelius. (I don't know Atterberg well at all and don't know to what extent he was influenced by the Finn.)

Sibelius was a giant at that time for many reasons.  Ralph Vaughan Williams dedicated his Symphony No. 5 to Sibelius.  From wiki: "Atterberg, himself, was said to be a great admirer of Sibelius' music and this fairly conservative, nationalistic style is what the composer sought to emulate."

[Symphonic Addict]

I had forgot how gorgeous his orchestral work Ballad without Words, op. 56 is. Since it's a late piece, it contains some interesting dissonances that enhance the exceptional atmosphere that is conjured up, not to mention how those soaring melodies manage to enchant. A great work in my view.

[DavidW]

There are a couple of Atterberg albums that I've listened to and enjoyed. One is chamber music, the other symphonies.

But now I want to dig deeper and really listen to a substantial part of his output. What works would you recommend to me? Any fans, please feel free to jump in.

[Brian]

But now I want to dig deeper and really listen to a substantial part of his output. What works would you recommend to me? Any fans, please feel free to jump in.

folksy, Grieg type heritage: start with Symphony No. 8, then move on to Nos. 4, 6, and 7
neoclassical: Suite No. 3 with violin and viola soloists; orchestration for string orchestra of the Brahms Sextet No. 2
just a big ol' shot of romantic melody and Hollywood luscious scoring: Symphony No. 3, Violin Concerto
if you want to hear something a little darker: Symphony No. 5

wait til later: Symphonies 1, 2, 9; cello concerto, piano concerto

Rasilainen > Jarvi as this music does require a bit of sentimental melody-milking that Jarvi doesn't naturally do.

[kyjo]

There are a couple of Atterberg albums that I've listened to and enjoyed. One is chamber music, the other symphonies.

But now I want to dig deeper and really listen to a substantial part of his output. What works would you recommend to me? Any fans, please feel free to jump in.

Allow me to jump in! Unlike some lesser-known composers, I find Atterberg to be remarkably consistent in his inspiration. Amongst his output, only two major works stand out to me as being less inspired than usual, those being his Violin Concerto and 9th Symphony (IMO). I don't think I'll be alone in particularly recommending his marvelously atmospheric, dramatic, and ecstatically lyrical 3rd Symphony (West Coast Pictures) as a good starting point for anyone's Atterberg exploration. From there, you might want to try the contrasting 5th and 6th Symphonies, the former of which is darkly tragic and the latter of which is breezily optimistic and permeated with infectious humor in its finale.

But I would put in a stronger word than Brian for his first two symphonies which are remarkably assured, melodically generous, and orchestrationally brilliant. The exciting scherzo of the First and the gloriously Romantic slow movement of the Second are particularly exalted inspirations. I'm also very partial to the Cello Concerto which stands out to me as one of the most lovable of all late-romantic cello concerti - sort of a cellistic counterpart to Sibelius' Violin Concerto in some ways.

Finally, two shorter orchestral works which could be said to be encapsulate many of Atterberg's best qualities in a relatively brief span of time are A Värmland Rhapsody for orchestra and the Suite No. 3 for violin, viola, and string orchestra. Simply beautiful stuff, and anyone who finds his symphonies and concerti rather "over-the-top" could do well to try these works.

I agree with Brian that Rasilainen on CPO is the way to go with the symphonies, but Järvi does quite well in the "lighter" 4th and 6th. For the Cello Concerto, do seek out Truls Mørk's recording on BIS which is superior to the one on CPO.

Happy listening, David!

[Brian]

Confession: it's been about a decade since I've listened to the first two symphonies, an omission I'll fix this week. 

There is a Toscanini Sixth by the way!

[kyjo]

Confession: it's been about a decade since I've listened to the first two symphonies, an omission I'll fix this week. 

There is a Toscanini Sixth by the way!

Oh! Well, in that case, I wouldn't be surprised if your opinion of the first two symphonies improves substantially after revisiting them.

And yes, I ought to check out Toscanini Sixth! There's also an ancient recording with the composer conducting none other than the Berlin Philharmonic, but the sound quality is a bit of an impediment to my enjoyment.

[Brian]

Revisiting the full Atterberg cycle for the first time in years! As mentioned upthread, I had recently restricted myself too much to Nos. 3, 4, 6, and 8.

No. 1 begins in full flight, with a drumstroke setting off a lyrical main melody. The scherzo is really strange and surprising and full of contrasting moods. The most ambitious movement is the finale; I love the four-minute adagio that begins it, while the main allegro is very strongly influenced by Nordic folk harmonies. It reminds me a lot of the tunes I know and love from Symphony No. 8. This symphony is way more entertaining, straightforward, and delightful than I remembered. It's a little long, but it's fun the whole time. Appreciate kyjo nudging me to listen again!

No. 2 is just as long, but very unusually structured in three movements with irregular, often-changing tempo markings. (The second movement is "adagio - presto - adagio - presto - adagio.") In F major, its opening feeling evokes Beethoven's Pastoral. That pastoral spirit lives through the rest of the work; the slow movement turns out to be a pretty, woodwind-heavy creation with rustic folk dance interruptions, a la Berwald's Sinfonie singuliere. The climactic section of this slow movement, from 13', is the first of the big "Hollywood" Atterberg moments with a strong punch of emotional, maybe kitschy melody. It actually ends loudly, too, a surprising heroic declaration complete with cymbal crash.

This is the one part of the symphony I feel doesn't work. Right after that loud, triumphant ending, we get a loud, dramatic beginning to the finale. I'm not sure the transition logically works for me, and historically the symphony was originally in two movements, with the third added later. The addition of a new finale makes No. 2 part of the strange tradition of "quasi-pastoral symphonies that become dramatic minor-key symphonies when you get to the finale." (Also including Dvorak 5, Mahler 1, Martinu 4.) Of course, Atterberg eventually brings us around to a huge triumphant brassy ending, which I would really be convinced by if there hadn't already been another one earlier.

I am skipping No. 3 on this traversal because I am so familiar with it. The finale is one of the most gloriously affecting of all romantic pieces; is it sentimental or cheesy or over-the-top? Probably, but I fall for it every single time. My one complaint is that I've always thought the storm section was a little too long.

No. 4 is so cute. I admire how much bluster and bustle and seriousness it packs into its tiny 20-minute frame. The very ending with that slapstick comedy high note always bothers me, because the symphony's tempest-in-a-teacup Sturm und Drang is already kind of parodically funny before the final joke. But this symphony could plausibly be what would happen if Haydn was born 150 years later in Sweden.

No. 5 is the tragic symphony and the favorite of the GMG GMG (Grim Music Guys). The first movement is fiery, the second has the doom-destiny mood of the ending of a film noir, and the finale memorably metamorphoses into a sort of waltz of death. When you hear the influence of Mahler, most of all at the beginning of the finale, it's a bit of a shock: Atterberg seems to be one of the late romantics who was least influenced by Mahler. There's very little of this in the rest of his cycle! The ending, with a bassoon solo leading to a quiet ending, is very much like the ending of Tchaikovsky's Sixth. This is a good example of how Atterberg could take obvious influences from his great predecessors and "remix" them in engaging new ways.

No. 6 was the symphony that accidentally torpedoed Atterberg's international reputation by winning the 1928 Columbia competition. The international audience seemed to miss that the finale (a) is a great big joke, not a serious finale, and (b) contains a gigantic Schubert quote! It was recorded by Beecham and Toscanini, but it was seen as derivative and facile in comparison to some of the other composers who had entered (Schmidt, Brian, and Czeslaw Marek among them). Rumors spread that the decisive vote had been cast by arch-conservative Glazunov, or that it was a compromise pick because the judges worried a modernist winner would not be welcomed.

Well, anyway, I love it. I do think, as with the Fourth, the fundamental seriousness of the first two movements is probably to blame for early audiences' failure to enjoy the finale's jokes. The adagio especially seems profoundly sincere. But the first movement's rhythmic trickery is so satisfying, and the finale is so funny. Haters gonna hate. 

After 6, Atterberg took 14 years off from the symphonic genre, returning during World War II with Nos. 7 and 8. After the war, his ties to the Nazis would be scrutinized by his colleagues, and he would even request an investigation into them; certainly he seems to have been sympathetic to German artists and performers, and to antisemitism, in a way that was unusual for a composer in a neutral nation.

No. 7 is wildly melodramatic. The bluster, gale-force winds, big melodies of the previous symphonies are all amplified here. (I didn't notice this before, but the first movement has a tune that would later also be a main tune in No. 8.) The orchestration is memorable, too, especially in the slow movement that provides a few moments of calm before the even more crazed finale, a sort of apocalyptic folk dance.

No. 8 might be the most old-fashioned of all this composer's symphonies. With its folk music origins, completely traditional structure, and even its rather conventional ending uniting two motto themes, it is squarely in the romantic tradition. You could say it's the "best symphony Grieg never wrote." Sibelius liked it, and it has long been one of my favorites, though I think now it's been surpassed by the Sixth.

Atterberg's ninth symphony in order is unnumbered: the Symphony for Strings. It's a wonderful piece, not included in the main CPO cycle (or box set) but fully worthy. Admirably clear, well-crafted, and jaunty.

Finally, there's the official No. 9, a 40-minute cantata written years after the other works. This seems to be everybody's least favorite.  This is my first listen to it in 15 years! It has 13 continuous sections, almost all vocal. I love the hushed, mythical, "visionary" orchestral introduction. The first 15 minutes are all slow and quiet, just songs with accompaniment, before the orchestra erupts for a climax/interlude in VI. This episode is fun albeit a little derivative of Atterberg's past symphonies. The eruption in IX is a little more forward-looking and sinister. At the end, the music fades back into silence again, but not in a disintegrating Kalevi Aho way. Instead, this song-cycle-like piece fades into a sort of primeval Swedish forest at night.

Like everyone else, it's probably my least favorite, but that is more because of its form and singing, rather than an actual problem.

-

Overall, Atterberg represents a sort of summation of the romantic movement in the Nordics, even moreso than Sibelius' first two symphonies. His works can be extremely dramatic, unabashedly catchy and emotional and maximalist. This is why I fell for it as a young listener in college, and now I still do love it. The craftsmanship underneath the flash is always there, although Atterberg's melodies were sometimes simplistic and his counterpoint used as a dramatic flourish rather than a constant part of the architecture. This re-listen really increased my affection for Nos. 1, 5, and 7 especially.