Ragnar Söderlind(1945-): a Catalogue of the Orchestral and Choral Music

[Dundonnell]

As far as I know no-one has produced a catalogue of Soderlind's orchestral music before. This one took me three days If Soderlind was a Finn then we might have most of his compositions on disc. Instead there is very little available on cd Yet Soderlind is, in my opinion, one of the very finest neo-romantic modern composers and one of the most impressive symphonists alive. Try his Symphony No.5 "Kvitsunn"

RAGNAR SODERLIND: A CATALOGUE OF THE  ORCHESTRAL AND CHORAL MUSIC

1962/63:"Jolsterslatt" for orchestra, op.2: 3 minutes
1964-65:"Preludium" for orchestra, op.4: 9 minutes
1965/77:"Pieta" for male voice and string orchestra, op.5: 6 minutes
1967:   "Fra Nord til Sor" for symphonic band, op.7B: 3 minutes
             "Rokkomborre" for orchestra, op.8: 7 minutes   + (Aurora cd)
1967-70:Symphonic Vision "Polaris" for orchestra, op.11: 14 minutes          +  (Aurora cd)
1968:   Trauermusik for orchestra, op.12: 9 minutes    +  (Aurora cd)
1969:   "Fantasia Borealis" for orchestra, op.14: 11 minutes
1971:   Sinfonia minimale for youth orchestra, op.16: 4 minutes
1971-72:International Rhapsody for orchestra or small orchestra, op.17: 10 minutes
1973/75:"Two Pieces from the Desert" for Oboe and Small Orchestra, op. 21B: 11 minutes
1974:   "Fra myggenes land" for symphonic band, op.18
1975/79:Symphony No.1, op.23: 27 minutes
1977/80:Cantata "Vaer utamodig, menneske" for chorus and orchestra, op. 25: 10 minutes
1978:   Symphonic/Choreographic Drama "Hedda Gabler" for orchestra, op.26: 30 minutes
             "Dagsalme" for symphonic band and organ, op.28, No.2
1979:   Symphonic Poem "Amor et labor", op. 27: 10 minutes
1981:   Symphony No.2 "Sinfonia Breve", op.30: 14 minutes   +  (Aurora cd)
1981/88:Sinfonietta for brass and percussion, op. 31 A: 15 minutes
1982:   Ballet "Kristin Lavransdatter", op.32: 45 minutes
             Symphonic Poem "Kom havsindar, kom!, op.33: 5 minutes
1982-83:"Eg hev funne min floysne lokkar att I mitt svarmerus" for soprano and orchestra, op.35C: 10 minutes
1982-95:Symphonic Poem "Krans og kors", op.64: 45 minutes
1983:   Olavs Hymne" for male voice, chorus and orchestra, op. 36: 13 minutes
             "Septemberlys" for male voice and orchestra, op.37: 15 minutes
             Two Songs for male voice and orchestra, op.39B: 5 minutes
1984:   Symphony No.3 "Les illuminations symphoniques" for soprano, baritone and orchestra, op.40: 35 minutes    + (Aurora cd)
             "Toccata brillante over 'Seier'n er var' for orchestra, op.41: 4 minutes
             "Nasadiya/Upphavshymna", op.42 for chorus and ensemble: 10 minutes
             Nostalgic Rhapsody "Eystradalir" for orchestra, op. 43: 12 minutes
1985:   Symphonic Poem "Av hav er du komen" for four narrators, violin, women's chorus and orchestra, op.44: 45 minutes
1985-86:Ballet Music "Victoria", op. 45 (and Ballet Suite, op.45B: 15 minutes)
1986-87:   Violin Concerto, op. 46: 34 minutes   + (Centaur cd)
1988:   Ecstasy for strings and timpani, op.45C: 6 minutes
1989:   Passion Cantata for two voices, chorus and orchestra, op. 48
1990:   Tone Poem "The Hour of Love", op.45D
1990/95:Symphony No.4 "Sedimenti musicalii", op.50: 30 minutes   + (Aurora cd)
1991:   "Transtromer": Suite for voice, piano, two percussion and string orchestra or chamber orchestra, op.52 B and C: 25 minutes
1991-92:Cello Concerto, op.54: 36 minutes    +  (Aurora cd)
1992:   Two Songs from texts by Hans Borli for low voice and orchestra, op. 55B: 5 minutes
             "Haugebonden"-Ten Ironic Variations on a Norwegian folk-tune for chamber orchestra, op.56: 10 minutes
1993/97:Symphonic Poem "Der Tanz des Lebens" for tenor and orchestra, op.67: 25 minutes
1994/95:Cantata "Bak morke vinter ventar ein var" for six solo voices, chorus and orchestra, op. 61: 25 minutes
             "De beste" for voice and small orchestra, op.62C: 2 minutes
1995:   Fanfare Regale for orchestra, op.63: 1 minute
1995/2001:Symphony No.5 "Kvitsunn", op.60: 28 minutes    *
             Symphonic Suite "Angst", op.68: 20 minutes
1996-97:Piano Concerto "Colosso", op.70: 38 minutes
1997:   Cantata "Rogden Sjo" for soprano, chorus and orchestra, op.72A
1998-99: Symphony No.6 "Todesahnung", op.74: 45 minutes
1999:   "Arle I old: Tanker ved et tidsskille" for lur, ram's horn and orchestra, op.75: 7 minutes
             "The Hollow Men: A Penny for the Old Guy" (A Little Requiem for the 20th century) for male chorus and chamber orchestra, op.76:12 minutes
2001-02:Trumpet Concerto "Die Signale des Tods und des Lebens", op. 80: 28 minutes
2001:   "Rapsodia del teatro" for mezzo-soprano, cello and string orchestra, op. 82: 12 minutes
2002:   Symphony No.7 "La Campane dell'Atlantico" for baritone, chorus and orchestra, op.85 B: 33 minutes
2002-03:Viola Concerto "Nostalgia delle radici", op. 86: 40 minutes
2003:   "Mother Bear" for chorus, harp, piano, timpani,  two percussion and string orchestra, op. 87B
2004:   "Sona-Torrek"-Melodrama for narrator men's choir and orchestra, op.90
2004-05:Symphony No.8 "Jean Sibelius in memoriam", op.95: 23 minutes
2005:   Symphonic  Incantations "The Great Mother Bear" for orchestra, op.92:20 minutes
2009:   "A Nordic Requiem: a Mass for the Living and the Dead" for seven, soloists, chorus and orchestra, op.104: 120 minutes

[karelm]

I enjoy Soderlind's music.  Reminds me somewhat of Arthur Butterworth in how he incorporated Sibelius and other Nordic elements with some overt expressiveness but also has his own style.  It would be nice if more of his large output was available.  I read somewhere that he has a 9th symphony but can't find if that's accurate.  Do you know anything about that or was it an erroneous bio? 

[Dundonnell]

At the rate Soderlind composes I would not be in the least surprised if there is a Ninth Symphony I can find no mention of it anywhere and it is certainly not in the Norwegian Music Information Centre Archive of scores.

I am delighted to know that I am not alone in admiring Soderlind's music I just cannot understand why the Norwegians have not done more to spread the word about the excellence of his music

[karelm]

I saw this on musicweb about Soderlind: "Thus far he has produced 9 numbered Symphonies" but it might have been a mistake because I can't find anything else about it.  No official word from the MIC Norwegian music publishing.