I can't say Stenhammar's cantata Snöfrid is the most captivating work, but it is quite lovely.
Snöfrid is akin to a Greek myth, where a man's duty is tested against true love. It is set for chorus, soloists, and orchestra, with the soloists covering the roles within the story.
At 20 minutes, the work is a bit billowy, yet attractive nonetheless, as all of Stenhammar's music is.
On the other hand, I am absolutely taken with Midvinter. There is something about its rustic, folksy modalisms which capture my heart's love of music. As a dedicated choral music fan, I can admit the chorus' unnecessary presence here, but it doesn't spoil anything at all. A rollicking good time!
While the Intermezzo is short filler, again rather beautiful, The Lodolezzi Suite is different. Perhaps the trilling mandolins move my ear this way, but it sounds rather breezy and Italianate; not too far of a leap from Stenhammar's Serenade for Orchestra.
To this recording in particular, at a 55 minute runtime, plus not containing the starriest of compositions from Stenhammar, one wonders what to do with this recording as a whole. Luckily, they were all compiled onto a 4CD set, and that is probably the place to get them, plus a whole lot more Stenhammar.
I would also like to comment upon the rest of the filler items paired with the symphonies and piano concertos. With the two Sentimental Romances for solo violin and orchestra, you get exactly what the title presents, although in two different compositional settings. The Florez and Blanzeflor orchestrated song is another heartfelt work, here for solo baritone.
Oppositely, the Excelsior! Overture is great fun, especially when the brass have their moments, and along with Midvinter, might be my favorite of Stenhammar's 'other works'. The Chitra Suite wasn't carried over into the 4CD set, so its 20-minute absence, and relative rarity, is felt.
All in all, Stenhammar has a great variety of orchestral, concertante, choral, and vocal works away from his four large-scaled symphonies and concertos, not to mention his set of String Quartets. If they are slight works, it doesn't really matter as there are some gems to be mined.
Listen on YouTube
Work
Snöfrid (21.29)
Sången: Intermezzo (4.14)
Midvinter (12.25)
Lodolezzi Suite (17.50)
Other Works
Excelsior! (12.10)
Chitra Suite (22.09)
Sentimental Romances (12.42)
Florez and Blanzeflor (8.19)
Soloists
Ulrika Åhlén, soprano
Gunvor Nillson, mezzo-soprano
Gösta Zachrisson, tenor
Peter Mattei, baritone
Per Enoksson, violin
Ulf Wallin, violin
Performers
Gothenburg Concert Hall Choir
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Neeme Järvi, conductor
Label: BIS
Year: 1984, 1990, 1992
Find more Stenhammar recordings HERE!
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