Mats Norrman responds to me:

>It is certainly correct that Atterberg wrote interesting music in all
>genres. Which of his Ballet Music has been released on SSD?

I'm not sure I would call it correct, and the with of intrestingness in
Atterbergs music I find rather limited, the ballet score I was thinking
of was the on my friend Thanh-Tam mentioned: de favitska junfruarna.

>>I evoke names like Ake Hermansson, Claude Loyola Allgen, Moses
>>Pergament, Hans Holewa, Roman Maciejewski - Both natives and
>>immigrants represented.
>
>I am of another opinion: I think Moses Pergament deserves more attention,
>but those I know of the others you list, I don't give a rotten fish for.

I would hardly call rotten fish an opinion, at best it is uninformed
silliness, but yes, Pergament really deserves to more recognition (today
I belive hi is only repersented on CD with some "minor" pieces on BIS - I
also have a SSD LP but knowest not if it has been transfered to CD) - His
"radio" operas on text by Nellie Sachs (Eli) and Per Lagerqvist (Himmelens
Hemlighet) are brilliant ("Radio" because they were written to be staged in
a radio studio and subsequently broadcasted - I belive that Pergament was
a pioneer in this kind of setting).

It would also be intresting to know which of the composers I list Mats have
heard music by, and what he heard? Giving me a more decent chance to refute
his fishy views.

>However if you let Atterberg (whom I don't consider a minor compsoer
>among the Sweds) overshadow say Rangstroem or Hallen, I come with my
>fist raised!

Mats must be a Wagnerite (his e-mail is telling) like Richards entourage
of yesteryear, falling to violence and threats in arguing composers value
does not credit him.  My take on Hallen is that he is as trifling as
Atterberg (I do not give turnips for either) - Hallens wagnerian pseudo
nationalistic viking opera is amateuristic on each account, the little I
have heard of his other ouvre I can but say that it is decently crafted
but hardly advances any musical positions.  Rangstrom on the other hand
was perhaps the first Swedish modernist, even if he was deeply rooted in a
dark germanic musical tradition.  his cooperation with the writer August
Strindberg is of immense importance (not least towards a Swedish opera
ouvre), his symphonies contain many intresting ideas, but viewed as
solitary individs, immature.  In song he is perhaps at his best, even if
I regard Algot Haquinius (namedropping!) setting of Gustav Frodings "Kung
Eriks visor" the better.

Thanh-Tam writes in his reply:

>That's a good thing.  I, for one, certainly would not swap Hermanson's
>magnificent symphonies (No. 1, or No. 2 which Peter introduced me to),
>Holewa's refined chamber works, or Allgen's slow movement from the violin
>concerto for a rotten fish:-)  As for Pergament, that he remains so
>little recorded on CD (while he is always quoted together with Rosenberg
>and Nystroem in books) is a mystery to me.  His music is both colourful
>and powerfully gripping.

I belive that one of the major reasons Pergament (and a few other
composers for that) is unjustly overlooked, is the fact that he never
was able to support himself as a composer, thusly had to feed the family
by writing music critique in news papers and by working as kantor at a
synagogue - hence far to many of those who knew of him then and until the
recent, associate him with his work as writer.  An unfortunate fact not
uncommon to the 20'th C.  composer.  Pegament also wrote a splendid
biography about the legendary swedish soprano, Jenny Lind - his
autobiographies, "vandring med fru musica" and "ny vandring med fru
musica", show a sensitive person with a grate ability for musical
expression (as does indeed his music).  Niether AFAIK availible today
or ever translated into english.

Further, I belive it is shows a gigantic black hole of neglect in Swedish
cultural affairs that Ake Hermansson four symphonies are not availible on
CD.

peter lundin, gothenburg.se -  Counting the days: DSCH 100 (1906-2006)