;D
Allan Pettersson for Newbies
Have you ever heard Allans music? Well, for me, it's a little like this...I insert the disc and the music autoplays. On this occassion I'm listening to his last Symphony, number 15, but it really doesn't matter which one I'm listening to. Why? Because there is no other composer out there who does this to me...
Just before the music starts, I am greeted by the grey bearded Pettersson who puts his hand on my shoulder and says "Please, listen to this John, it's all about life." The music starts and that's it. I am sitting in a room alone with only a Pettersson Symphony for company. The Pettersson Symphony reveals unto me all manner of machinations, internal and external textures, a rolling series of events which paint a life of conflict and uncertainty (but underpinned with a power which Pettersson promises between the notes is already mine.)
Bizzare. Pettersson has to be heard alone, in a room!
Anyway, I have a great reverence for this composer because he says so much and teaches so much in a style that is ALWAYS moving forward to resolution which is achieved more often than not through the synthesis of the whole work. Damn, his music is so often difficult to understand, but pay attention en voyage...his roads are as simple as a clear Motorway but as rich and complex as a busy spaghetti junction. His music is very much 'in the moment', so you can't really contrast a passage with what comes later because...well...because his passages are like compressed statements and...er...action packed whirlygigs. :-[
Recommendation: Lock yourself in a room and allow Pettersson to talk to you through his music. Start with Symphony Number 15. In a few short seconds you will come to know that he's not messing about. And in five minuites he will have taken you through the colourful matrix of two minds (his and yours) trying to come to terms with what the World is is all about by living through it. By the end of the whole single movement 15th Symphony, the horrors of living will have been revealed, and you must proceed post-haste to peel yourself off the cieling whilst the last symphonic note draws out. ;D
Hmm. I'm nuts. I wrote this whilst listening to 15th.
Quote from: John on July 04, 2009, 06:00:13 PM
By the end of the whole single movement 15th Symphony, the horrors of living will have been revealed,
Definitely a composer who wrote the same symphony 16 times. Did he have any subject besides "the horrors of living"?
Quote from: Spitvalve on July 04, 2009, 11:49:13 PM
Definitely a composer who wrote the same symphony 16 times. Did he have any subject besides "the horrors of living"?
Yes. The consolation of surviving.
Quote from: John on July 04, 2009, 06:00:13 PM
Pettersson has to be heard alone, in a room!
Not necessarily. I've often shared Pettersson. But he HAS to be played reasonably loud, and with the extreme dynamics this means that all present have to be atuned to Pettersson. And I wouldn't start with no 15.
But otherwise extremely nicely put.
Quote from: Spitvalve on July 04, 2009, 11:49:13 PM
Definitely a composer who wrote the same symphony 16 times. Did he have any subject besides "the horrors of living"?
I haven't heard it for a while, but I found the 16th to be quite perky.
His Violin Concerto No 2 is IMHO the greatest violin concerto of all time (I am not joking) - the last few minutes are unbearably moving. Some of the symphonies I find rather dense (but not nos 6-8), but he was a great composer.
ps Great post John :)
I have been known to win hot babes over to the cause with Sym. No.8.
Excellent thread, John. My introduction to Pettersson was his 7th Symphony, which is my favorite (so far). I've also listened to Symphonies Nos. 8 and 15 and Mesto for String Orchestra. But Pettersson is not a composer I listen to frequently, or in large doses.
Quote from: Keemun on July 08, 2009, 01:18:53 PM
...Pettersson is not a composer I listen to frequently, or in large doses.
lol :) Regardless, you have an appreciation for his music and he's in your collection. I would hate to meet the person who overplays Pettersson. I don't think they would be well.
(in response to
"Have you heard Allans Music?" I really laughed at this. Nothing like brief honesty...
Quote from: 71 dB on July 05, 2009, 01:43:31 AM
No.
By suggesting a listening of the 15th, it fits the Pettersson paradigm I'm promoting... :-\... :-\... :D ;D :-*
Quote from: 71 dB on July 05, 2009, 01:43:31 AM
No.
You're missing one of the greats of the 20th century. You might want to start with the 7th and 8th symphonies, two of his most accessible and beautiful. Some of his other symphonies can be very dense, thorny, and hard to follow at first. And all his music is extremely intense and personal, as John describes. You have to be ready to receive it.
Quote from: John on July 08, 2009, 04:14:20 PM
I would hate to meet the person who overplays Pettersson.
You missed paulb then? Lucky you.
QuoteI don't think they would be well.
He wasn't. :D
Sarge
Quote from: John on July 08, 2009, 04:14:20 PMI would hate to meet the person who overplays Pettersson. I don't think they would be well.
Cause or implication or both?
My wife (birds, whistles, music for the moment, no dark valleys, please) is thinking the same about late romantic period listeners in general. Morbid souls. Taking a different point of view, e.g. African music, I would agree :D. The old story "we europeans had all the ups and downs, and wars and peace, the real depth, which is reflected by the european music"
Anyway, I like some Pettersson output. Syms 6,7,8,9. To me, the 6th is at least as accessible as 7 and 8. The ninth is harder to crack.
BTW.. As a composer of often dark and negative themes, he didn't make use of low/dark timpani noises, did he? Frrom what I remember.
Quote from: Wurstwasser on August 06, 2009, 08:15:19 PM
BTW.. As a composer of often dark and negative themes, he didn't make use of low/dark timpani noises, did he? Frrom what I remember.
He probably uses snare drum rolls more than any 20 composers combined.
Okay, I'll bite. Which recording of the 15th? Oh, and V Cto #2?
Quote from: MN Dave on August 20, 2009, 05:16:36 AM
Okay, I'll bite. Which recording of the 15th? Oh, and V Cto #2?
BIS 3/15 (why the 15th? I'd rather drift you to No.14 (Commissiona), though, of course, there's nothing wrong with the 15th)
Caprice /Vln Cto 2 w/Ida Haendel (Sym No.16, the saxophone symphony, is also cool)
or... sym No.5 and the Viola Cto on BIS...
NO ONE has mentioned the super hot mess, Sym No.13, the longest single mvmt sym in history! Super complex and messy, this has to be Pettersson's whatever-you-call-it. Roger Sessions, eat your heart out!
Quote from: Grazioso on July 10, 2009, 04:25:49 AM
You're missing one of the greats of the 20th century. You might want to start with the 7th and 8th symphonies, two of his most accessible and beautiful. Some of his other symphonies can be very dense, thorny, and hard to follow at first. And all his music is extremely intense and personal, as John describes. You have to be ready to receive it.
I did listen to the 7th (BIS) on Spotify some time ago. I did like it. 0:)
Quote from: snyprrr on August 20, 2009, 08:42:58 AMNO ONE has mentioned the super hot mess, Sym No.13, the longest single mvmt sym in history! Super complex and messy, this has to be Pettersson's whatever-you-call-it. Roger Sessions, eat your heart out!
I never understood No. 13. One day I'll try again... Here's a review from the old forum:
http://www.good-music-guide.com/forum/index.php?topic=605.msg57793#msg57793
The latest piece on WETA is about Pettersson--and about a recording that would strike me as rather suitable to a Pettersson Newbie.
http://www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=780 (http://www.weta.org/fmblog/?p=780)
Quote from: Wurstwasser on August 06, 2009, 08:15:19 PM
Anyway, I like some Pettersson output. Syms 6,7,8,9. To me, the 6th is at least as accessible as 7 and 8. The ninth is harder to crack.
I've been wanting to listen to the 9th for a while now, but I've never seen it anywhere except to buy on CD, and call me old fashioned but I'd rather know what I'm buying before I cough up much cash. In that tradition, #7 cost $1.99 from eclassical, 8 was from a link on the Pettersson thread if I remember correctly, and there is an mp3 recording of the Kamu 6th floating about somewhere that I snatched.
Anyway, found this a couple of days ago
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ixmh9x
The first 70 minutes of which is the 9th (complete with tiny annoying blips at each of the CD track changes!). I've only played it twice so far, and yes, I agree that it is a tougher nut to crack. Once I do I may be in the market for the box set.
I have only heard his Symphony No. 7 which seems to be the most played or accessible. Anyway, why is all of his music so dark? I mean I understand that he wasn't a happy man, but to me he seemed like he composed for himself than anybody else. Am I wrong in my analysis? What do you people think of the complete symphony set on Cpo? I might pick it up at some point just to own it, but I'm pretty scared to listen.....:D
Also don't forget his Symphony No 6 with its 'long struggle towards the sunrise' - it's one of his works (like VC No 2) in which the redemptive conclusion places a kind of retrospective glow on the earlier, more doom-laden, material. There was a great old LP with Okko Kamu conducting (CBS) which never made it to CD.
Quote from: vandermolen on July 16, 2010, 03:41:47 AM
Also don't forget his Symphony No 6 with its 'long struggle towards the sunrise' - it's one of his works (like VC No 2) in which the redemptive conclusion places a kind of retrospective glow on the earlier, more doom-laden, material. There was a great old LP with Okko Kamu conducting (CBS) which never made it to CD.
I think you have stolen my post from the "What are you listening to" thread as of July 15th: :D
Quote from: erato on July 15, 2010, 10:21:22 PM
Dark it is, but in a wonderfully uplifting, fulfilling way. Now go on to no 6 and violin concerto no 2, both have fully satisfactory readings on cpo (though I hope for a reissue of the Kamu on Sony, fat chance I guess).
Quote from: erato on July 16, 2010, 03:45:47 AM
I think you have stolen my post from the "What are you listening to" thread as of July 15th: :D
I didn't see it - honest ;D great minds etc...
Now, make nice, lads! : )
Quote from: vandermolen on July 16, 2010, 08:07:17 AM
I didn't see it - honest ;D great minds etc...
Great minds, etc. plus the best form of flattery, etc... ;D
I will be ordering these from Just Jeff next week or so：
Allan Pettersson: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4 $5
Allan Pettersson - Sym 9 - Alun Francis, Deusches Sym Orch Berlin - 1993 CPO Records Germany $7
Allan Pettersson - Sym 12 / Carl Rune Larson, Stockholm Phil Orch/Concerto No. 1 - Sig Westerberg, Swedish Radio Sym Orch 77/78 - Caprice $17
Allan Pettersson - Sym 13 Alun Francis, BB Scottish Sym Orch - 1993 CPO Records Germany $5
Allan Pettersson - Sym 14 Johan M. Arnell, Radio Sym Orch Berlin - 1988 CPO Records Germany $7
Allan Pettersson: Symphony No. 15; Peter Ruzicka: Das Gesegnete, das Verfluchte $7
I only have 5,7,8,10 and 11 right now. So I am trying to get some more.
Quote from: vandermolen on July 16, 2010, 08:07:17 AM
I didn't see it - honest ;D great minds etc...
I'll go for the great minds explanation any day. Very comforting to know I'm not alone!
Quote from: vandermolen on July 16, 2010, 03:41:47 AM
Also don't forget his Symphony No 6 with its 'long struggle towards the sunrise' - it's one of his works (like VC No 2) in which the redemptive conclusion places a kind of retrospective glow on the earlier, more doom-laden, material. There was a great old LP with Okko Kamu conducting (CBS) which never made it to CD.
Not necessary, because the CPO Albrecht release is great.
#6 is a long journey indeed; and a very interesting, mostly dark one.
Quote from: Wurstwasser on July 16, 2010, 11:03:33 AM
Not necessary, because the CPO Albrecht release is great.
It's Trojahn, and it's good. But it's still the only game in town, which isn't good for major works.
Quote from: vandermolen on July 16, 2010, 03:41:47 AM
Also don't forget his Symphony No 6 with its 'long struggle towards the sunrise' - it's one of his works (like VC No 2) in which the redemptive conclusion places a kind of retrospective glow on the earlier, more doom-laden, material. There was a great old LP with Okko Kamu conducting (CBS) which never made it to CD.
http://subversion283.blogspot.com/2009/04/allan-pettersson-symphony-no-6.html
Quote from: Sef on July 22, 2010, 07:05:18 AM
http://subversion283.blogspot.com/2009/04/allan-pettersson-symphony-no-6.html
Thanks!
I've only recently discovered Pettersson symphonies, and there is no doubt that they are powerful. I'm still in the process of making my way through all of them.
Quote from: Sef on July 22, 2010, 07:05:18 AM
http://subversion283.blogspot.com/2009/04/allan-pettersson-symphony-no-6.html
Yes, many belated thanks for this - I recall buying the LP whilst on holiday in some remote part of northern England c 1976 - I was very surprised to find it in a small record shop.
Quote from: vandermolen on July 28, 2010, 09:18:21 AM
Yes, many belated thanks for this - I recall buying the LP whilst on holiday in some remote part of northern England c 1976 - I was very surprised to find it in a small record shop.
It was called distribution, something currently out of favor with the major record companies.
Quote from: erato on July 28, 2010, 03:09:54 PM
It was called distribution, something currently out of favor with the major record companies.
How true - but there are now hardly any independent specialist classical CD shops in the UK.
Ordered Pettersson's 7th and 11th symphonies on BIS with Segerstam a few days ago. I'm looking forward to examing the 7th again with a more open-mind.
Quote from: vandermolen on July 29, 2010, 06:17:17 AM
How true - but there are now hardly any independent specialist classical CD shops in the UK.
The days of the CD store are gone I'm afraid, which kind of bums me out, because there is always the thrill of discovering something you haven't seen before or have been wanting to hear.
Quote from: springrite on July 16, 2010, 08:16:38 AM
Great minds, etc. plus the best form of flattery, etc... ;D
I will be ordering these from Just Jeff next week or so：
Allan Pettersson: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4 $5
Allan Pettersson - Sym 9 - Alun Francis, Deusches Sym Orch Berlin - 1993 CPO Records Germany $7
Allan Pettersson - Sym 12 / Carl Rune Larson, Stockholm Phil Orch/Concerto No. 1 - Sig Westerberg, Swedish Radio Sym Orch 77/78 - Caprice $17
Allan Pettersson - Sym 13 Alun Francis, BB Scottish Sym Orch - 1993 CPO Records Germany $5
Allan Pettersson - Sym 14 Johan M. Arnell, Radio Sym Orch Berlin - 1988 CPO Records Germany $7
Allan Pettersson: Symphony No. 15; Peter Ruzicka: Das Gesegnete, das Verfluchte $7
I only have 5,7,8,10 and 11 right now. So I am trying to get some more.
I went ahead and just bought the whole set, because it was cheaper to buy them all in one box than to buy them individually. Got it from an Amazon Marketplace seller.
I'll let everybody know my impressions of the music when I have heard a few symphonies.
Quote from: Mirror Image on August 16, 2010, 12:41:30 PM
I went ahead and just bought the whole set, because it was cheaper to buy them all in one box than to buy them individually. Got it from an Amazon Marketplace seller.
I'll let everybody know my impressions of the music when I have heard a few symphonies.
Excellent! I have ontroduced Pettersson to a couple of friends, both said Pettersson is their most exciting discovery since ... well, in a long time!
Quote from: Velimir on July 04, 2009, 11:49:13 PM
Definitely a composer who wrote the same symphony 16 times. Did he have any subject besides "the horrors of living"?
You have to be a little more open-minded when listening to Pettersson. "The horrors of living" is a great topic and since I'm a pretty cynical person, his music hits home for me. I dislike people who aren't honest. You can't blame Pettersson for not being honest. You can dismiss his music all you want to, but what you can't deny is that his music speaks the true nature of this world, especially now. This is a repulsive world we live in and people do things to people that are just cruel, inhumane, and evil. It takes a bold composer to use human suffering as a basis for music, but if you don't want to make the effort to understand his message, then it's like the old saying: "If you can't stand the heat, then get out of the kitchen."
Quote from: springrite on August 16, 2010, 12:48:30 PM
Excellent! I have ontroduced Pettersson to a couple of friends, both said Pettersson is their most exciting discovery since ... well, in a long time!
Prior to buying this set, I only own Segerstam's recording of his 7th and 11th symphonies, so I can't wait to dive in and discover more of this man's music.
Quote from: springrite on August 16, 2010, 12:48:30 PM
Excellent! I have ontroduced Pettersson to a couple of friends, both said Pettersson is their most exciting discovery since ... well, in a long time!
I will be checking his stuff out more as well. Thanks for your interest.
Quote from: vandermolen on July 16, 2010, 03:41:47 AM
Also don't forget his Symphony No 6 with its 'long struggle towards the sunrise' - it's one of his works (like VC No 2) in which the redemptive conclusion places a kind of retrospective glow on the earlier, more doom-laden, material. There was a great old LP with Okko Kamu conducting (CBS) which never made it to CD.
It will be on CD-R when I am through with my current needle dropping projects.
Quote from: Mirror Image on August 16, 2010, 12:50:47 PM[...] and since I'm a pretty cynical person, his music hits home for me. I dislike people who aren't honest. You can't blame Pettersson for not being honest.
Yup. Everybody should make exactly that music, which is coming from his heart. Period. :)
I think he was dishonest with the final (positive) moment of the ninth Symphony. I don't like it at all. Maybe he did it for the critics? Because of the "suffer, pain" blahblah?
Quote from: Wurstwasser on August 17, 2010, 08:49:25 AM
Yup. Everybody should make exactly that music, which is coming from his heart. Period. :)
I think he was dishonest with the final (positive) moment of the ninth Symphony. I don't like it at all. Maybe he did it for the critics? Because of the "suffer, pain" blahblah?
There's some Pettersson music I don't like, as with all composers. I wasn't impressed with his
Symphony No. 2 at all, which I have recently heard. It seems like his later symphonies are much better than his earlier ones.
As far as the positive movement in the 9th, I haven't heard this symphony yet, but I can say judging from hearing the 6th and 7th that a positive resolution isn't necessarily a bad thing in a Pettersson symphony. I don't think Pettersson gave into peer pressure from critics. If you look at his musical history as a composer, he never really compromised his musical vision to make a few bucks or please a critic. That just doesn't sound like something he would do.
Symphony No. 7 is about the closest he ever got to pleasing anybody. This symphony was a success of course, but even this symphony has its difficult moments that would send somebody who listens to nothing but Bach or Mozart all day crying for their mommy.
His music is intense and is very much an inward journey. A quest for trying to find the good in this world. And with those moments of light in his music, we hear somebody who never gave up hope.
Quote from: Mirror Image on August 20, 2010, 08:50:08 PM
His music is intense and is very much an inward journey. A quest for trying to find the good in this world. And with those moments of light in his music, we hear somebody who never gave up hope.
I'm sure he had a tough row to hoe. FWIW, I just hear the music . . . and (while I make cautionary note that perhaps the individual performances may be to 'blame') I've found the music a mixed bag. And a large bag, possibly an impractically large bag (to extend the analogy). Some very nice passages in the Seventh Symphony, indeed. I need to revisit the Sixth . . . .
Just finished listening to the Seventh Symphony on YouTube,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bMNzqMkW3U (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bMNzqMkW3U)
This is from someone who has never listened to any Pettersson before, so here are my thoughts,
Yes it's bleak-ish, certainly tonal, but a degree of discord, it's definitely relentless, quite repetitive, reminds me of the first movement of Shostakovich's Tenth in a way, it's a 45 minute one movement work, therefore it's hard to find your way around, it would have been better to compose it in say four sections, there's a lovely quiet string section about 30 minutes in, it's breathtaking, the very best bit of the Symphony.
My conclusion is that i like it!, i guess he sounds like Robert Simpson to a degree, or a suicidal Sibelius :D
Quote from: Octo_Russ on August 21, 2010, 10:05:25 AM
Just finished listening to the Seventh Symphony on YouTube,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bMNzqMkW3U (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bMNzqMkW3U)
This is from someone who has never listened to any Pettersson before, so here are my thoughts,
Yes it's bleak-ish, certainly tonal, but a degree of discord, it's definitely relentless, quite repetitive, reminds me of the first movement of Shostakovich's Tenth in a way, it's a 45 minute one movement work, therefore it's hard to find your way around, it would have been better to compose it in say four sections, there's a lovely quiet string section about 30 minutes in, it's breathtaking, the very best bit of the Symphony.
My conclusion is that i like it!, i guess he sounds like Robert Simpson to a degree, or a suicidal Sibelius :D
I'm not sure if the Robert Simpson comparison is a fair one considering that Pettersson's 7th is much more melodic and contains much more memorable musical passages at least in my opinion.
Anyway, you should really hear his 6th and 8th next. These are also considered his masterpieces and I can certainly understand why. All of his music is bleak, so this is a sound your ears will have to get accustomed to, but like the famous 7th, 6 and 8 have moments of gorgeous light, especially the last 8 or 9 minutes of the 6. Absolutely gorgeous.
Quote from: Mirror Image on August 29, 2010, 10:00:16 AM7th, 6 and 8 have moments of gorgeous light, especially the last 8 or 9 minutes of the 6. Absolutely gorgeous.
Symphony No. 6, cpo release, 37:37 ff. maybe is the centre of the universe.
Quote from: Wurstwasser on August 30, 2010, 10:29:46 AM
Symphony No. 6, cpo release, 37:37 ff. maybe is the centre of the universe.
This is interesting. Since I first heard Pettersson, I have had strong mental associations of his growling or droning brass as being deep under sea or far into space - that certain you-against-enormity-and-how-you-deal-with-it feel that is so typical of his classic trilogy, especially 6 and 7, is really cool. Many composers can conjour up feelings of the elements, but few in such a primordial form (perhaps Wagner, Feldman).
Quote from: Wurstwasser on August 30, 2010, 10:29:46 AM
Symphony No. 6, cpo release, 37:37 ff. maybe is the centre of the universe.
I'm not sure the centre of the universe, but it's a great symphony nonetheless.
Interesting thread.
I'm listening to the 7th via the link Octo Russ kindly provided.
I am not familiar with this composer at all.
To those that are, would you say his outlook is completely nihilistic?
Quote from: david-jw on August 31, 2010, 08:21:25 AM
Interesting thread.
I'm listening to the 7th via the link Octo Russ kindly provided.
I am not familiar with this composer at all.
To those that are, would you say his outlook is completely nihilistic?
Pettersson's music is quite pessimistic, because he thought of the world as something that was inhumane. The way people do wrong to their fellow man is what his music is about. Yes, most of his music is bleak and dark, but not without moments of light.
Symphonies Nos. 6-8 are his best symphonies in my opinion. They are also recognized as his masterpieces. You should definitely hear 6 and 7.
^ thanks MI.
Quote from: david-jw on September 02, 2010, 08:45:39 AM
^ thanks MI.
You're welcome. Pettersson is a very difficult composer to get into, but like I said I think everybody interested in 20th Century symphonic music owes it to themselves to at least hear his
Symphonies Nos. 6-8.
I've ordered the 6th, I hope to enjoy it. :)
Quote from: DavidW on September 26, 2010, 07:45:56 AM
I've ordered the 6th, I hope to enjoy it. :)
The 6th is a very disturbing work, as with most of Pettersson's music, but the last minutes of the symphony makes the journey all the more sweeter.
Quote from: DavidW on September 26, 2010, 07:45:56 AMI've ordered the 6th, I hope to enjoy it. :)
And, did you,
DavidW?
Quote from: Wurstwasser on October 18, 2010, 10:45:40 AM
And, did you, DavidW?
I absolutely love it! 0:) I can't get enough, I listen to it over and over. I'm going to explore more of Pettersson's symphonies as a result. :)
Quote from: DavidW on October 18, 2010, 11:31:49 AM
I absolutely love it! 0:) I can't get enough, I listen to it over and over. I'm going to explore more of Pettersson's symphonies as a result. :)
I wish I could be more enthusiastic about the rest of Pettersson's symphonies other than 6, 7, and 8. I find that balance between light and dark not as compelling in the others. Some of them just sound like pure note-spinning. In all honesty, I think he should have stopped at the 8th, but that's just my own opinion.
Recently listened to the 7th and found it very interesting. Another thing from Pettersson that I found very good was the concerto for string orchestra No 1. He wrote three of them (available together in a 2cd set from cpo) but I found that the quality of the music went down as he went from #1 to #2 to #3.
Quote from: Mirror Image on October 18, 2010, 01:27:42 PM
I wish I could be more enthusiastic about the rest of Pettersson's symphonies other than 6, 7, and 8. I find that balance between light and dark not as compelling in the others. Some of them just sound like pure note-spinning. In all honesty, I think he should have stopped at the 8th, but that's just my own opinion.
Well #7 is what I'll go for next. I won't try anything outside of #6-8 until I've explored all three since you and a couple of other posters shared the same sentiment.
I think No. 9 is also worth listening, but I agree: Much other stuff to explore (I don't know all of the RVW or Shostakovich symphonies).
Tried Pettersson #13 once, but won't retry. Too hard to crack.
Quote from: DavidW on October 18, 2010, 02:41:31 PM
Well #7 is what I'll go for next. I won't try anything outside of #6-8 until I've explored all three since you and a couple of other posters shared the same sentiment.
Well #6-8 are masterpieces in my opinion. I had someone tell me the exact same thing as I told you: listen to 6-8. I did and I was hooked, but as I progressed past the 8th, I found much the music to be disappointing. Those contrasts (i.e. light, dark) aren't evident in his later works, they just seem like a bunch of dissonant note-spinning with no real purpose. I do, however, need to go and listen to No. 10 as I recall it being pretty decent.
All of this said, my box of Pettersson symphonies is now one of prized possessions and I'm glad I finally forced myself to listen to his music, because my first impressions of his music was "This is morbidly depressing..." but now I've come to enjoy his pessimistic music for what it is: a unique view of the world that was around him.
My work colleague (fellow CD nut) raves about Symphony No 4 - so I must try that soon.
Quote from: vandermolen on October 20, 2010, 02:19:55 PM
My work colleague (fellow CD nut) raves about Symphony No 4 - so I must try that soon.
I don't recall the 4th being particularly inspired, but I will give it another listen.
I can now fully endorse Pettersson's Violin Concerto No. 2. What a remarkable work.
Quote from: Octo_Russ on August 21, 2010, 10:05:25 AM
Just finished listening to the Seventh Symphony on YouTube,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bMNzqMkW3U (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bMNzqMkW3U)
This is from someone who has never listened to any Pettersson before, so here are my thoughts,
Yes it's bleak-ish, certainly tonal, but a degree of discord, it's definitely relentless, quite repetitive, reminds me of the first movement of Shostakovich's Tenth in a way, it's a 45 minute one movement work, therefore it's hard to find your way around, it would have been better to compose it in say four sections, there's a lovely quiet string section about 30 minutes in, it's breathtaking, the very best bit of the Symphony.
The more you listen to this one, the more I think you'll find the structure to be both clear and masterfully implemented. There's subtle organic growth occurring throughout the work instead of a traditional delineation of first and second theme, etc. As you get familiar with the themes and their development, you'll notice them being adumbrated well before they take center stage. Part of what makes the 7th so appealing to me is not just its enormous emotional impact but its craftsmanship: at his best Pettersson is a true symphonist.
Quote from: Grazioso on November 04, 2010, 05:33:44 AM
The more you listen to this one, the more I think you'll find the structure to be both clear and masterfully implemented. There's subtle organic growth occurring throughout the work instead of a traditional delineation of first and second theme, etc.
Oh yes; indeed. That's what makes it a masterpiece and Pettersson a master.
Quote from: Grazioso on November 04, 2010, 05:33:44 AM
The more you listen to this one, the more I think you'll find the structure to be both clear and masterfully implemented. There's subtle organic growth occurring throughout the work instead of a traditional delineation of first and second theme, etc. As you get familiar with the themes and their development, you'll notice them being adumbrated well before they take center stage. Part of what makes the 7th so appealing to me is not just its enormous emotional impact but its craftsmanship: at his best Pettersson is a true symphonist.
Pettersson was a master of the gritty idiom he chose to compose in. I'm quite in awe of his
Symphonies Nos. 6-8 and not to mention his
Violin Concerto No. 2, which has that light/dark constrast throughout which makes the afore mentioned symphonies completely compelling.
Hi everyone,
For those of you who are interested, please visit my blog which I created for the occassion of Allan Pettersson's upcoming 100th birthday. My goal is to listen to all of his orchestral works (+Barefoot songs and Seven Sonatas) before his birthday and to blog about it. Feel free to leave comments or feedback!
Quote from: AP100 on January 03, 2011, 11:08:00 PM
Hi everyone,
For those of you who are interested, please visit my blog which I created for the occassion of Allan Pettersson's upcoming 100th birthday. My goal is to listen to all of his orchestral works (+Barefoot songs and Seven Sonatas) before his birthday and to blog about it. Feel free to leave comments or feedback!
uh...uh...ah...uh... where is it?
It's got to be this (http://allanpettersson100.blogspot.com/) one.
You're right... Followed.
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on January 04, 2011, 02:05:03 AMIt's got to be this (http://allanpettersson100.blogspot.com/) one.
Interesting, I followed the links and I'm glad to see there's some activity again. There's a P7 concert later the year in Germany :) I wish I could see the 6th one day.
Hi everyone,
Wow, it's a good thing I'm not in the marketing business. :P I advertised my blog today, but didn't even provide the address. If you haven't found it already from earlier posts, here it is:
http://allanpettersson100.blogspot.com/
Spread the word to all the Pettersson fans you know (besides yourself!) and to anyone who may be interested. Pettersson is not played to quite the same extent as Brahms, so any help would be great.
Thanks!
Thanks for the link, I'll be a regular visitor.
Quote from: Tapio on January 04, 2011, 03:46:00 AMThere's a P7 concert later the year in Germany :)
Where? What orchestra? Who's conducting?
Sarge
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on January 05, 2011, 07:25:08 AMWhere? What orchestra? Who's conducting?
Quote18. und 19. September 2011, Oldenburg (Staatstheater)
7. Sinfonie
Staatsorchester Oldenburg, Peter Ruzicka
(source) (http://www.pettersson100.de/konzerte.html)
Right on his 100th birthday (19 September)!
Quote from: Tapio on January 05, 2011, 08:18:01 AM
(source) (http://www.pettersson100.de/konzerte.html)
Thanks. Mrs. Rock's sister lives in Bremen. We could combine a family visit with the concert.
Sarge
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on January 06, 2011, 10:02:02 AMThanks. Mrs. Rock's sister lives in Bremen. We could combine a family visit with the concert.
Do you think Mrs. Rock would like it as much as you?
Nobody listens to Pettersson to like the music . . . .
Quote from: Tapio on January 06, 2011, 07:48:18 PM
Do you think Mrs. Rock would like it as much as you?
I don't know. We listened to the 8th together once and she didn't run away. The Seventh is an easier listen. In any case, even when she doesn't enjoy the music, she doesn't complain (much ;D ) She's actually looking forward to the "Gothic" at the Proms next summer...says it will be a far easier two hours to endure than our recent
Reingold experience :D
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on January 07, 2011, 04:44:52 AM
Nobody listens to Pettersson to like the music . . . .
;D :D ;D
Sarge
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on January 07, 2011, 09:28:30 AM
I don't know. We listened to the 8th together once and she didn't run away. The Seventh is an easier listen. In any case, even when she doesn't enjoy the music, she doesn't complain (much ;D )
If my wife doesn't like the music (which is basically in all cases of darker music, i.e. few flutes or spring or fun or life or positive melody involved) she starts complaining about everything except music. This way she shows respect to my musical preference ;)
Quotesays it will be a far easier two hours to endure than our recent Reingold experience :D
I wish I had "Reingold" experiences ;)
Perhaps one of the most suitable discs to enter into the soundworld of Pettersson, methinks.
Dip Your Ears, No. 221 (Barefoot & Beautiful: Allan Pettersson's Music on BIS)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DbaCeamW4AAdD_B.jpg) (http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2018/04/dip-your-ears-no-221-barefoot-beautiful.html)
Excellent program indeed. Coincidentally I purchased this one last week: it features practically the same works !
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51MiEeeGdqL.jpg)
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71YN9%2B9hosL._SX522_.jpg)
I don't know if the songs are in the Antal Dorati orchestration, though. Something to dig into when I get the disc.