Search - Allan Pettersson, Andreas Peer Kahler, Berliner Sibelius Orchester :: Allan Pettersson: Symphony No. 5

An old recording that has not lost it's bite

Mr. M. J. Berridge | South Africa | 02/26/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I first acquired this about 10 years ago, and it was the only version then available. It is every bit as impressive as 2 more recent rivals (Francis and Markiz). The symphony starts in bottomless gloom ( a more gloomy start would be very hard to find anywhere) and very gradually unfolds to a landscape that is more turbulent and insecure. Eventually we are confronted with a powerfull climax which seems to confront us with a cruel invasion by a brutal and evil force. In this recording, the brass chords are particularly forcefull and thrilling. After this, the music slowly winds down to a mood similar to the beginning. There is not much in the way of the consoling "sweet waters of life" that we are blessed with in Pettersson's seventh, or the very noble sentiments that greet us at the close of the sixth. Although it has such a pessimistic outlook, it is a fine piece of orchestral craftsmanship, and this performance is as good and as well defined as any other."

A slow procession

David Thierry | Chicago, IL United States | 03/27/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Pettersson's symphonies may be an acquired taste but repeated listening has it's rewards. Yes, they are all terribly sombre and I liken them to a funeral procession on the way to the grave, grave'. They evolve, they develope. They progress and change in a subtle manner, slowly and inevitably. There are occassional eruptions as though the music were beating someone else's back with it's fists or beating it's own breast in a mea culpa. Perhaps that's too literal. I listened to this quite happily while doing housework. I am quite used to human tragedy as I see it quite often on the street corner or when I'm riding the bus to work with the downcast third world poor. The Human Condition. How fragile are our lives of comfort and ease, demonstrated by the recent Global Financial Disaster. And yet we prevail."

Psychological drama in music

T. Fisher | 07/11/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This music shows once the again the benefits of rooting around in Amazon's MP3 bargain bins. I was unfamiliar with the music of Allan Pettersson, one of Sweden's major 20th century composers, until I came across this symphony and his Symphony No. 14 priced as 89 cent downloads, so I decided I'd give him a try. I'm glad I did, although this is not music I'd listen to every day.



Pettersson overcame hardship in his personal life -- according to interviews, his blacksmith father was an abusive drinker. Perhaps due in part to this background, his music seems to reflect a lot of psychological conflict and drama. This symphony sounds tonal, but definitely has dissonant aspects.



The 5th Symphony was written in 1960-62, and it kind of sounds like it. Emotionally it seems like it could be at home in a film score -- something along the lines of Leonard Bernstein's music to "On the Waterfront". The images that came to mind were of a black and white film about a kid on the mean streets -- a Sal Mineo type -- trying to overcome obstacles to make something of himself. But there is no happy end, no emotional resolution. The ending is the emotional equivalent of just surviving to continue the struggle another day -- not despairing, but not really hopeful either.



I'm glad that I got to know this work by Allan Pettersson. I don't think it will be in regular rotation on my stereo at home, but it is definitely worth getting acquainted with, especially at the no-brainer download price. Recommended."