Search - Allan Pettersson, Alun Francis, Hannover Radio Symphony Orchestra :: Allan Pettersson: Symphonies Nos. 10 & 11

A masters voice

Håkan Sönnermo | 450 52 Dingle Sweden | 01/03/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is incredible music from a master of symphony.
The symphony no 10 was sketched in a hospital in Stockholm where Alan was in bed for severe kidney problems. Like a fistblow in the face said Alan himself about this music. This is music directed to us, to the outer world. It is hard music, it is extremely demanding music and it is extremely fascinating music. The harsh tones follows suddenly by a 'salvation song', and this contrast is so strong that my tears come everytime I listen to it. It is a fantastic, moving piece of music.
If symphony no 10 is music to the outer world, no 11 is a dialogue with the inner world. It is not at all so harsh like no 10. There is 'stormy weather' sections here too, but not at all like in no 10. I find this symphony one of the most delicate of all his symphonie's. It is short but contains everything.
This inner dialouge is very prominent about 15 minutes(nr22) into the symphony. What a brilliant part!
These symphonie's are growing every time I listen to them. This is music to live with, to find some new exciting things every time. I'm so happy i came across Allan Pettersson's music about 30 years ago.
The CPO recording is just superb. Alun Francis leeds superbly the orhestra.
Take time, be patient and you will be richely awarded and perhaps you can hear'the song the soul once sang'."

Powerful, emotionally intense, often bleak ... yet fantastic

Russ | Richmond, VA | 08/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The music of Swedish composer Allan Pettersson (1911-1980) is not for the fainthearted, but his symphonies are among the best composed in the twentieth century. Most of Pettersson's symphonies are cast is large single movements, and such is the case here. However, CPO has broken each symphony into five tracks so that the listener can return to key moments within each symphony with relative ease.



Pettersson sketched his tenth and eleventh symphonies during a nine-month hospital stay in which he was battling a life-threatening kidney ailment. The tenth symphony is a far darker work than the eleventh, but it can be argued that the two works should be viewed together, with the uncompromisingly brutal tenth contrasted against the more balanced eleventh.



It is somewhat difficult to describe these works. They are just something you'll have to listen to yourself. But at a high level, the tenth begins with a stormy, sinister brass fanfare which appears in different guises throughout the work. This symphony, lasting about 27 minutes, is highly dissonant and angry. The snare drum appears throughout the work, antagonizing the orchestra. At any one point in this symphony, there may be three or four conflicting ideas appearing at once, especially within the intense central section. Despite the apparent chaos, the music is always purposeful and holds this listener's attention. The climax at the 14:45 mark (within Track 3), dominated by low brass and irregularly spaced accents truly is unbelievable. Towards the end of the symphony (20 minute mark - Track 5), a forlorn woodwind fragment descends through a densely scored string section that rises higher and higher, until the opening material returns bringing the work to a dark and turbulent conclusion.



The eleventh symphony, lasting about 25 minutes on this recording, is less harsh than the tenth, but is still a dark and stormy work. With that said, there are many gentle, perhaps even lovely moments (Track 6). Yet in many places, the orchestra seems to be battling itself, with melancholy flute and violin passages disrupted by orchestral outbursts. In between such outbursts, the music is sparsely orchestrated, but propels itself forward through the use of recurring rhythmic motifs (Track 8). The conclusion of the eleventh symphony (Track 10) is dominated by emotional string writing that begins disjointed but gradually becomes more unified before the work reaches a startling conclusion. In this section the composer seems to be drawing inspiration off earlier musical forms, comparable to some of the more recent music of Arvo Pärt.



This music is definitely worth exploring, especially if you are compelled by the emotional intensity of the works of Shostakovich. The expressive writing for the strings definitely brings to mind that composer. The amazing aspect of these works is that no two listeners would have the same interpretation. In fact, each time I listen to these symphonies I come away with a new favorite part.



There are many composers than can compose music that is appealing and attractive in any one minute, but their works on a whole are somewhat unsatisfying. While, in contrast, any snippet of Pettersson's music is definitely not pleasing (in the traditional sense), with his works falling in the "difficult music" category, yet the symphonies on a whole are totally compelling and satisfying. Despite the terseness of the two works presented here, I have returned to this recording several times and am consistently captivated by this powerful music.



Highly recommended.



52:45"

Really can't add

paul best | new orleans | 02/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"much to Hankan 's superb comments.

The 10th is a continuation of this story that P wishes to yell, his feelings and thoughts of the world he lives in and yet is the world I see and feel as well. Its like his message is something that has been a part of my soul all my life, but could never describe. Well now his symphonic cycle connects me to these inner thoughts and feelings, Look around at the ecological disasters that occur all over the world, Mother Earth in her travails as she deals with rebellious and destructive man. The 11th though not the power and passion of the other syms in the cycle, seems to be like a connective passge from 10 to 13. Still essential to the whole. Not to be missed.

See all my reviews on Pettersson

Pettersson and Schnittke, the last in a long line of great composers, beginning with Bach's era.

Schnittke and Pettersson, 2 bright stars in a age of spiritual darkness.





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