Atterberg's Romantic Prelude to Per Svinaher

[Mark Thomas]

Many thanks for this addition to the Downloads board, Mathais. What a lushly late romantic piece. To my shame, I had no idea that Atterberg had written ballets.

[M. Henriksen]

The exact title of Atterberg's Pantomime-Ballet is Per Svinaherde. Or Per the Swineherd in English. It's based on a tale by H.C. Andersen.
Kurt Atterberg suggested the following pieces from the ballet to be performed either separately or as a suite:

Romantic Prelude (9 min)
Menuett (3 min)
Polonaise burlesque (5 min)
The Prince proposes (8 min)
Scherzo (5 min)
Danse capricieuse (5 min)
Valse fantastique - Finale (10 min)

So here's 45 minutes of ballet music for someone to record.


Morten

[eschiss1]

Since this was mentioned- though I am not an expert...

Atterberg wrote at least 3 ballet scores/ballet-related works- this, also op.17 De fåvitska jungfrurna (1920?), and Ballet sketches (1919). A rhapsody from op.17 has been recorded at least once, I think (or at least it has the same name and I assume is related to the ballet?)

[TerraEpon]

The Rhapsody that's recorded on CPO (on the piano concerto disc) is Op. 1. If that's what you mean.

[eschiss1]

no, there's an Atterberg Rhapsody De fåvitska jungfrurna that's appeared on LP (Swedish Society Discofil Slt 33192, 1964) I think. (Published in 1948 as an orchestral work, "De favitska jungfrurna : rhapsody on old Swedish folk songs ; op. 17 = The wise and the foolish virgins".) I am guessing it is related to the ballet that Wikipedia lists under this title which may not have been published in that form, not sure. (Or, Wikipedia's editor who entered that as a ballet may simply be mistaken, and I for repeating it.)

Hrm, maybe not.

In 1921 Edition Suecia (the music publisher, not the recording house) published by Atterberg this-

De fåvitska jungfrurna : Rapsodi på svenska folkmotiv : Op 17. [Ballet]. (using Worldcat's format.)

Hrm. Yes, that looks about right. This is listed as being for orchestra, "dramatic music". I admit to some confusion still... ballet and also rhapsody in the title. ... ok.

(There's also this very interesting publication from 1945...

De fåvitska jungfrurna : pantomimbalett i en akt efter liknelsen i Mattei 25:1-13 . musiken komponerad på gamla svenska folkmotiv : op. 17. ) Well, that reminds one - I am after all not that familiar with religious texts - where the "Wise and Foolish Virgins" come from. (A ballet-pantomime, recorded by Stockholms filharmoniska orkester ; Nils Grevillius, conductor coupled with a work by Oskar Lindberg, perhaps on that 1964 LP mentioned above, also redistributed in Germany by Victor.) (A suite from this ballet, or the rhapsody, or something, was recorded for EMI in 1982, I think on an LP with the 6th symphony.)

The 1964-issued recording, I think, was reissued on CD in 1993 (Stockholm: Phono Suecia, several-CD set.)

[M. Henriksen]

I'm also a bit confused over De fåvitska jungfrurna. As you point out, Eric, there is a pantomime-ballet in one act with this title, and it was composed for the Swedish Ballet for a performance in Paris in 1920. If the rhapsody Op. 17 is based on this ballet score, or actually is the same work, I don't know.
I've looked through the catalogues of Swedish MIC, and I'm still unsure.


Morten

[jksteven]

  A very lovely piece hitherto unknown to me. The UC light sheds a little more on each composer as this site grows. Thank you for this upload!