Atterberg: Piano Concerto

 

*|* I am nearly ashamed to enjoy this recording and its piano concertante works from Swedish composer Kurt Atterberg. This is unapologetically big-boned Romanticism, much in the shadow of Sergei Rachmaninov.

The Piano Concerto in B-flat minor might not have the death-defying virtuosic ripples of the aforementioned Russian composer, but the strings sweep mightily, and the musical gestures are made of thick grandiosity. Atterberg was not stranger to big tunes either, which the listener hears aplenty across the work.

Yet, there are some additional touches all of Atterberg's own to be found as well. I sense moments of bitonality, a technique which doesn't necessarily create harsh dissonance more than it does stir up harmonic curiosity. Similarly, Atterberg's use of quartals is not something I normally recognize from the composer, used here well, usually found in the solo piano, but also heard in the orchestra ever now and again.

While the first movement is all emotional stürm und dräng, with great titanic waves of musical feelings, the second movement opens upon a simple unison solo piano melody in octaves cushioned by sustained strings. Atterberg nearly veers into cocktail lounge territory, although those turn towards soap opera melancholy, as well as overwrought soaring strings later on. The third movement returns to the stormy moods of the opening, but with more propulsive and dashing fingerwork. The raucous sea shanty quality of the finale remarkably holds together the B-flat minor qualities of the work well, an aspect not lost on this listener.

Swedish pianist Love Derwinger meets Ari Rasilainen and the NDR Philharmonic Orchestra of Hannover in their monumental reading of the Piano Concerto, one which doesn't shy away from the work's intense emotional excesses.

I could use many of the same descriptors from above to play upon Atterberg's earlier Piano Rhapsody, the composer's first official opus number. Structurally, the piece is much looser compared to the later Piano Concerto proper, with many contrasting sections showing off the soloist's abilities, as well as Atterberg's abilities in diverse musical characterizations. Also, there is an exotic flavor to be found in the Piano Rhapsody from time to time, one reminiscent of the wider Caucasus regions, perhaps taking influence from Romantic Era Russian composers, particularly with the interactions of the double reed instruments.

Apparently, Atterberg's orchestral-only Ballade and Passacaglia is a well-known piece abroad, although I personally have not run across it before. Unsurprisingly, it comes in a bipartite format, with the Ballade being more richly songful, if not outright sappily mournful. Orchestral eruptions displace some of the Ballade's songfulness before the Passacaglia gets the music really moving. Dare I say, I believe there is a bit of lighthearted playfulness here, one of few such moments found across this entire program, mixed with intense musical heroics to send the work off on its final notes.

Perhaps I have simply become used to it now, but I found CPO's sonics to be quite satisfactory here, an element I was more critical of across Rasilainen's recordings of Atterberg's nine symphonies.

 

Works
Piano Rhapsody, op. 1 (10.25)
Piano Concerto in B-flat minor, op. 37 (36.19)
Ballade and Passacaglia, op. 38 (10.05)

Soloists
Love Derwinger, piano

Performers
NDR Philharmonic Orchestra, Hannover
Ari Rasilainen, conductor

Label: CPO
Year: 2001
Total Timing: 54.53

Truly, this piano concertante music from Kurt Atterberg could all be too much. There is certainly a fine line the Swedish composer is toeing between tastefulness and Romantic excess.

Yet, I enjoyed myself immensely with this music, and that is the key to The Oozy Channel Keep.

Find more Atterberg recordings HERE!