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Oskar Lindberg (1887-1955), a Swedish Late-Romantic

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kyjo
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« on: February 12, 2013, 12:45:01 am »

I don't know what it is about the music of Swedish late-romantic composers that really appeals to me, but there is no doubt there is no shortage of fine composers of this time and place besides Alfven, Peterson-Berger and Atterberg. Oskar Lindberg (1887-1955) is one of them. He was a noted teacher and organist who composed many sacred and organ works, not least his Requiem, which, along with Otto Olsson's contribution to the genre, is a beautiful and masterly work. But he was also the author of a large number of orchestral works, mainly tone poems and suites as well as a sole Symphony. His music is richly romantic, with echoes of Rachmaninov, Sibelius, and Alfven (some of my very favorite composers ;D) often present. Sterling released a mini-series of his orchestral music, encompassing three CDs (of which the one with the Requiem includes some a cappella pieces).



(Apologies for the vastly differing image sizes ;D)


All three discs are well worth acquiring, especially the one pictured on the far left, which includes the melancholy, hyper-romantic tone poem Hemifrån (From Home). The discs are now out of print and rather hard to find, unfortunately, but there are usually some reasonably priced copies floating around on Amazon if you haven't picked up these wonderful recordings yet. There is a great deal of unrecorded Lindberg orchestral works, judging by Colin's catalogue: http://composers.gulabin.com/

One can also find Lindberg's gorgeously evocative tone poem Fran de stora skogarna (From the great forests) on this Musica Sveciae disc, coupled with orchestral works by Atterberg and Kallstenius:



Swedish Society issued a two-disc set of Lindberg's complete organ music which is now rather difficult to come by:



Anyone who enjoys the music of Peterson-Berger, Alfven, Sibelius, Atterberg, Rachmaninov, Melartin and the like who has not yet investigated Lindberg's music-I beg you to give it a try :)
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Dundonnell
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« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2013, 01:20:32 am »

I have all four of the orchestral cds you highlighted :)

It is maybe worth mentioning that of the Lindberg generation of Swedish Romantics there are also Natanael Berg(b.1879), Adolf Wiklund(b.1879), Edvin Kallstenius(b.1881)- although his style changed over his career, Melcher Melchers(b.1882), Gustaf Bengtsson(b.1886) and one of my real favourites, Ture Rangstrom(b.1884).

All are represented on cd and Rangstrom's four rather overblown but very "grand" symphonies are well worth hearing.
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kyjo
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« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2013, 02:10:35 am »

I greatly admire all the composers you mentioned-I have soft spots for Wiklund's Rachmaninovian PCs and Rangstrom's exciting, no-holds-barred symphonies, for example. Also worth mentioning IMO is Helmer Alexandersson (1886-1927). Sterling recorded his Symphony no. 2 and Overture in C minor. Both works are taut and powerful works with not a note wasted and share some stylistic similarities with Tchaikovsky. If his first symphony is extant I'd love to be able to hear it! Despite his dates, I would place Alexandersson in a slightly earlier generation than the Swedes mentioned thus far.

Also, there's Ruben Liljefors (1871-1936) whose Symphony and PC Sterling recorded. Both are eminently worthwhile late-romantic works, and should appeal to those who enjoy the music of Lindberg and his contemporaries.

Long-lived composer Josef Otto af Sillen (1859-1951) also received the Sterling treatment in a disc
of his VC and Symphony no. 3. Like Alexandersson, I would place Sillen in a slightly earlier generation than Lindberg and Co. His music is very old-fashioned; the VC is even rather Mendelssohnian in places! The
Symphony no. 3 is a bit more forward-looking, but still firmly romantic in style.

Of course, we shouldn't forget about Otto Olsson (1879-1964), who already has a thread of his own. His large-scale Symphony in G minor and a disc of his piano works (including an Introduction and Scherzo for piano and orchestra) have been released by Sterling. Again, Olsson's music shows almost no signs of the contemporary music scene outside Sweden.

Apologies for the ramble :-[ Now, back to Lindberg!
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guest128
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« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2013, 05:30:50 pm »

I listen to Lindberg's Requiem now and then, - a communicative piece, though its impact registers several notches below Otto Olsson's fine Requiem if you ask me (OTOH I prefer Lindberg's Symphony to Olsson's somewhat anonymous sounding effort).  Speaking of Swedish Requiems I find Hans Eklund's epic contribution especially compelling also, though of course much more modern sounding than both Olsson and Lindberg, - and then there is Kraus.  The one we all share curiosity over I suppose is that by Kurt Atterberg, - strangely absent from the cornucopia of recent Atterberg issues, but perhaps it's been looked at and just doesn't measure up.

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kyjo
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« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2013, 08:20:07 pm »

I listen to Lindberg's Requiem now and then, - a communicative piece, though its impact registers several notches below Otto Olsson's fine Requiem if you ask me (OTOH I prefer Lindberg's Symphony to Olsson's somewhat anonymous sounding effort).  Speaking of Swedish Requiems I find Hans Eklund's epic contribution especially compelling also, though of course much more modern sounding than both Olsson and Lindberg, - and then there is Kraus.  The one we all share curiosity over I suppose is that by Kurt Atterberg, - strangely absent from the cornucopia of recent Atterberg issues, but perhaps it's been looked at and just doesn't measure up.

I also prefer Lindberg's Symphony to Olsson's-the latter, while a thoroughly agreeable piece, is, like you say, rather anonymous and too long for its own good. Hans Eklund is another fascinating composer-from what I've heard of his (the Requiem and Symphony no. 6), his music cries out for professional recordings. I rather doubt that Atterberg's Requiem "doesn't measure up", as I haven't encountered anything from Atterberg's pen that is of mediocre or low quality. As I have said before, I do find its omission from the catalogue quite strange; it remains by far Atterberg's most substantial unrecorded work.
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Jolly Roger
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« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2013, 02:10:02 am »

I listen to Lindberg's Requiem now and then, - a communicative piece, though its impact registers several notches below Otto Olsson's fine Requiem if you ask me (OTOH I prefer Lindberg's Symphony to Olsson's somewhat anonymous sounding effort).  Speaking of Swedish Requiems I find Hans Eklund's epic contribution especially compelling also, though of course much more modern sounding than both Olsson and Lindberg, - and then there is Kraus.  The one we all share curiosity over I suppose is that by Kurt Atterberg, - strangely absent from the cornucopia of recent Atterberg issues, but perhaps it's been looked at and just doesn't measure up.

I also prefer Lindberg's Symphony to Olsson's-the latter, while a thoroughly agreeable piece, is, like you say, rather anonymous and too long for its own good. Hans Eklund is another fascinating composer-from what I've heard of his (the Requiem and Symphony no. 6), his music cries out for professional recordings. I rather doubt that Atterberg's Requiem "doesn't measure up", as I haven't encountered anything from Atterberg's pen that is of mediocre or low quality. As I have said before, I do find its omission from the catalogue quite strange; it remains by far Atterberg's most substantial unrecorded work.
\

Why is there not more of Eklunds music available..It is enchanting
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