Dear Listers, Being drastically short of time these weeks, I cannot take
part on this discussion about Nordic symphonic music, which I have been
deeply interested in for almost twenty years now.  Hopefully it will still
be time for me to discuss it in a while.  Until then, I hope that a hasty
translation of excerpts from an earlier French text will be of some
interest to you, concerning the recording of Peterson-Berger's 3rd
Symphony.

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I had previously discussed the personality of Wilhelm Peterson-Berger
(1867-1942), and his 3rd Symphony "Same Atnam" in particular ("Same Atnam"
is the Lappish name of Lappland, "Lappish" having derogative undertones),
as follows:  "an exquisitely fresh work throughout, a superb sleigh ride,
without jeopardizing the quality of the work."

Discovering this enchanting score, embroidered with Sami songs (the
so-called "joikus", harsh Nordic counterparts of Tyrolian jodlers) had
left me with memories that were still intact fifteen years later.  Almost
intact, actually, for, whereas I did remember the melancholy theme uttered
at midway in the slow movement, I had forgotten how extraordinary the
preceding section was.

The notes for the recent CPO recording describe this movement as being "one
of the most sublime movements in the Nordic symphonic repertoire".  It is
easy to use superlatives when one comments on a work, even though CPO's
excellent editors rarely, if ever, indulge in such habits.  It so happens
that this movement might well be worthy of such a depiction, and this says
a lot, coming from a passionate Nordic music-lover like me.

This is utterly simple music.  It consists of a long theme, slow, quiet,
with a few large intervallic leaps raising it towards high pitches, then
smoothly letting it come down.  It is then superimposed upon itself in a
fugue of sorts.  Stated by the violins, the clarinet, the cellos,..., its
seemingly even rhythm is sometimes inflected by syncopations, which lends
it a very specific breathing quality.  The context is the midnight sun.
Light, intense sadness.  Progressively, unostentatiously, the music unfolds
with enthralling nobility, never to leave it even when harmonies become
more "sentimental", moving.  As the wave ebbs away, the above-mentioned
theme is simply stated, then repeated, vanishing in the distance.
Ultimately, after a final flight of stringed lyricism, the movement
recedes into nothingness.

In a thoroughly different spirit, I can only think of the slow section from
the scond part of Carl Nielsen's 5th Symphony as a worthy comparison, even
though Peterson-Berger was by no means a profound innovator as his Danish
contemporary was.

The charm, ingenuity, freshness, modal purity present in the remainder
of the symphony should not disappoint you.  Its themes do not have the
effusive appeal to be found in the Second Symphony [Sunnanfard, recommended
by Jane Erb], but the structure is more satisfactory, which obviously adds
to the "intuitive" harmony of the whole.  I therefore maintain what I said
before - that the work is entirely successful, and approachable for any
listener.  But one would have to add, vibrating at its core, those few
minutes of undescribable beauty.

Wilhelm PETERSON-BERGER (Sweden, 1867-1942)
Symphony No. 3 "Same Atnam" (1915)
Norrkoping Symphony Orchestra conducted by Michail Jurowski
CD CPO 999 632-2

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As for Madetoja, his symphonies truly belong to the gems of their time.
Whereas No. 2 is especially gripping, almost shattering, No. 3 displays
a troubling, graceful, obstinate, sweet and sour quality, and approaches
what might be termed as "emotional perfection".  To Dave Lampson's
comprehensive survey, I would like to add an absolutely essential work
by Aarre Merikanto:  his Fantasy for Orchestra.  A.Merikanto's music can
be paralleled with Janacek's, Szymanowski's, Berg's, and is, at its best,
well worth the comparison.

Please let me finish for now with a strong recommendation for a record
which few commentators seem to have fully comprehended (maybe because the
composer was too overlooked to be expected as he should have been?):  the
Phono Suecia CD featuring Edvin Kallstenius's Symphony No.  2, Dalecarlian
Rhapsody and Song Offering.  This would require a detailed review, but,
for the time being, I would say that the slow movement of the symphony
is a perfect instance of the "distant sound" which Kallstenius searched
throughout his life.  Explicit thematic cells are scarce, almost elliptic,
and yet, by virtue of the fusion between horizontality, verticality,
timbre, and a hypnotic sense of time, this music seems to be saturated
with melody.  And this is, at times, utterly beautiful.

Best wishes,

Thanh-Tam Le
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