Hugo Alfven: Midsommarvaka/Symphony No.2 in D Major Op.11

More Melody from the Nordic Realm

Hugo Alfven (1872 - 1960) was a Swedish violinist, conductor, painter, and composer, a man whose works are not heard regularly but who composed five symphonies and a number of choral, chamber and vocal works. The neglect of his output is unfounded as this fine recording by the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Neeme Jarvi demonstrates.

The Swedish Rhapsody No. 1 ('Midsummer Vigil') is one of his more well known works and justly so. The rhapsody combines the lyricism of Grieg with a fine, colorful orchestration. The piece sings along without great climaxes: it is simply a loosely connected set of theme variations.

The Second Symphony shows more substance and fire. Alfven was clearly a composer who held on strongly to the romantic and post-romantic ideas of European music, but his technical skills as an orchestrator are estimable. Hearing his music is not unlike viewing his paintings, works of light and shadow that celebrate the landscapes and moods of Sweden. Perhaps this is not great music, but is most certainly music worth getting to know, especially for those who relish the more 'modern' romantic orchestral works. Grady Harp, May 06


May 19, 2006

Swedish Symphonic Fare

For one who may only be familiar with Alfven's Swedish Rhapsody No. 1 (the one work by which he is most commonly known), this CD is an excellent way of expanding that familiarity, for in addition to containing the rhapsody, it also contains his second symphony, the major work on the CD. The symphony clearly reveals that Hugo Alfven was by no means a one-work composer, and that his other compositions will certainly reward the listener. April 4, 2001

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