Come Over and Have a Seat

 

Of course, I would bring a seat warmer.

As far as CD covers go, I am taken with this green, icy bench placed on a pier next to a bay. This 2004 5CD set on BIS was reissued by Brilliant Classics just four years later in 2008, where the bench was replaced by a moored boat (see image below). The packaging of the later issue is more space friendly with a modern appeal, but I have held onto the BIS fatbox CD case.

Of course, you can now find a 7CD set of Alfvén's symphonies and orchestral works on Naxos, played by a variety of orchestras under Niklas Willén. One extra CD contains Alfvén's film music there, while the other additional CD is a collection of various Swedish composer lollipops. Willén's is a complementary set to Neeme Järvi's, for while the latter conductor is combustible and lush, the former sounds subtle and lithe. While I wasn't a fan of Naxos' Symphony no. 1, in general, it is a nice set as well.

I came to Hugo Alfvén's symphonies fairly late, as I am not a huge fan of late-Romanticism. But how could I avoid his music, as I love his shorter orchestral works, such as the Swedish Rhapsodies? In the end, I enjoyed Alfvén's odd-numbered symphonies the most, I appreciated the unique qualities of non-lexical solo voices in Symphony no. 4, but had trouble following the composer's symphonic argument in Symphony no. 2. Thus, as far as the symphonies are concerned, I consider this set a success.

The orchestral works are generally more appealing to me. Alfvén's colorful, folksy soundworld is enjoyable, with little harmonic twists and solid melodies. The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra has a wonderful tone and cohesiveness in recordings spanning the late 80s to early 90s, featuring BIS' wonderful way with audio engineering.

Having recently listened to the symphonies of Swedish composers Franz Berwald and Wilhelm Stenhammar, and soon Kurt Atterberg, Alfvén is a solid symphonist comparably, but probably a better composer of choral / vocal music amidst his rightfully famous shorter orchestral works. While Naxos offers two Festival Overtures not covered here, I do not feel slighted with this BIS set at all, and Järvi's performances still stand up today.

 

 

 

Works
Volume 1 (65.49)
Volume 2 (67.33)
Volume 3 (78.30)
Volume 4 (64.19)
Volume 5 (67.58)

Performers
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Neeme Järvi, conductor

Label: BIS
Year: 1987-92; 2004 / 2008
Total Timing: 5.44.09

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Late Romanticism has never been my favorite musical style, so this recording was never going to be tops for me.

Yet, I enjoyed my time with this set, and Hugo Alfvén is a solid Swedish orchestral composer and symphonist.

I might find his individual orchestral works more colorful and charming, but as played by Järvi and Stockholm, I feel this set to be a meaty venture into the composer's major works.