Donald Satz <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Mats mentioned favorably the composer Andreas Hallen, born in the mid
>1800's.  I noticed on a music sales web site a Musica Sveciae disc devoted
>to his music.  ...

I have this CD. It is a good one; good music, good performance, just the
sound has some flaws.

>Is the Musica Sveciae disc a good place to start with Hallen? Any other
>available Hallen cds to recommend?

It is, on CD, THE place to start with Hallen - of that simple reason that
there are no other CD with music by Hallen.  Though one exeption:  "Squire
Nils sings to the Lute" is included in a song collection somewhere, else
you will not find anything by Hallen on CD.  But I have heard his operas
and his christmas cantata and so in radio on olde recordings, so of course
there are more recordings, just not on CD.  His operas were recorded in
the 50ies (with Set Svanholm in the male titel roles), and it is these
recordings I ahve heard.  The "Harald der Wiking" Don has heard, is from
1990.  There was also one, naturally, unrecorded, but obviosly good, as it
is well known, in Sthlm in 1912.  Else there hasn't been many performances
by Hallens music, what has its explanation, and it doesn't leigh in the
quality of the music.

>I did recognize some similarity to Wagner which Mats noted.

The connection to Wagner I think is very, very significant.  The
orchestration is like coming from Wagenr himself, the harmonies.  Hallens
works are though shorter, but he has used much work in always letting a
nice melody ring, what makes you will not feel Hallen to be "langweilig",
like some people (not me) find Wagner.  Maybe something to try for those
who have problem with Wagner.  Leitmotifs the music consists of too.  But
not only in the music those similarities are to be found.  The librettos
has strong connections too:  "Waldemarsskatten" ("Waldemar [Atterdag]s
treasure") is like a second "Das Rheingold" and "Harald der Wiking" is like
a second "Die Goetterdaemmerung"!!!!

Hallen was, of course, a great propagandist for Wagner.  Just if someone
wondered.:)

Mats Norrman
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