Richard Pennycuick <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Don Satz asked:
>
>>Kurt Atterberg's Violin Concerto and Piano Concerto on Sterling 1034.
>>I'm not familir with Atterberg's music; any opinions?
>
>I'm particularly fond of his second and third symphonies, both on
>Swedish Society, availability unknown.  They're melodic, late Romantic,
>interestingly orchestrated.  I don't find the first and fourth on Sterling
>as interesting, and IMHO the fifth and sixth don't achieve the same
>standard as the third.

Melodic is indeed a good description for Atterbergs music.  He wrote
interesting music in all genres, and everything in very approachable style.
I like the 6.  sinfonie much, but this with symphonies depends on what you
really want.  Nr.6 may belong to the more approachable and easylistened
sinfonies, but the technical quality is undoubtely highest in nos.  2,3
and 4.  Nr.  7 is a "Sinfonia Drammatica" and may not be everybodys taste,
as it could be found too bambastic and noisy.  Nr.8 is also recommended,
as it is fun, perhaps even more fun than the 3.  movement of sinfonie
nr."Dollar".  In the eight Atterberg has included a highly original melody
from Gotland which in no way sounds like belonging in a sinfonie, but still
he succeeds in developing it.  Atterberg sometimes did masterful things:
listen to "Ballad utan Ord" ("Ballade without Words"), where he first
presents four themes, and in the end all four themes are being played
simulataneously in different keys, and it no way sounds like a porrige.

Mats Norrman
[log in to unmask]