Winter-Hjelm Symphonies 1 & 2

[Alan Howe]

...on Simax:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/source-of-light/hnum/9362093     (CD)
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8826950--otto-winter-hjelm-complete-symphonies    (Download)

Two rather attractive, fun symphonies - by the sound of the excerpts at Presto.

[Martin Eastick]

Thank you Alan! This is good news indeed. It was Winterhjelm's B minor symphony which was available on an NKF LP years ago, coupled with Tellefsen's 1st piano concerto. Whilst both Tellefsen's concertos were recorded now some time ago, but in the CD era, Winterhjelm's attractive symphonies have been overdue for similar attention!

[Alan Howe]

Glad to have been the bearer of good tidings!

[eschiss1]

There are articles on both his symphonies at Dutch Wikipedia (the 2nd notes that the finale of no.2 had to be completed by Johan Kvandal) and manuscripts in the Norwegian national Library, I believe.

(I'm not positive. No.2 seems to be here but no.1 in B-flat major? - I'll have to do some more searching...)


Ah here it is, symfoni i B-dur composed 1861 - symphony no.1 in full score manuscript.

[Mark Thomas]

This is a welcome surprise! I have always enjoyed Winter-Hjelm's open-hearted, uncomplicated Second Symphony since I bought that NKF LP many years ago. It's not an important or sophisticated work, I suppose, but I've found it an enduring pleasure nonetheless. It'll be fascinating to hear No.1 after all these years, and maybe I'll now be able to retire my digital transfer of No.2.

[Joachim Raff]

Listening through a streaming service at the moment. First impressions are very good. I rate SIMAX recordings some of the very best around. Sound is superbly well balanced with wide-ranging sonics. Conductor/orchestra on top form as well. Some may pick bones with the compositions but there is nothing offensive here. Just good honest music. One for the list.

[Gareth Vaughan]

From the excerpts available the music seems most attractive - very melodic and nicely scored. I don't know these symphonies, but I am encouraged to explore them. And I agree that Simax recordings are usually very well produced.

[Alan Howe]

Agreed! My copy's on order from jpc.

[semloh]

It'll be fascinating to hear No.1 after all these years, and maybe I'll now be able to retire my digital transfer of No.2.

Same for me too, Mark! A very welcome issue.

[Ilja]

What a thorougly unexpected but very welcome surprise. And another viking mythology-related release, too.

However, there's something strange going on. The scherzo of the 2nd Symphony (3rd mvt) is an entirely different piece of music in Harth-Bedoya than in the older Ingebretsen recording, and about half the length. Does anyone have an explanation?

[Mark Thomas]

I can't duplicate that, Ilja. In my digital copy of the Ingebretsen LP I tracked the 2nd and 3rd movements together, but the Scherzo lasts 2:56. In the new separately-tracked Harth-Bedoya CD, the Scherzo track lasts for 2:47 and, at first hearing, the music itself is identical, albeit at a sprightlier tempo.

[eschiss1]

Ilja: the manuscript of the 2nd symphony is in the link I provided above, so whichever recording you have that matches the score (the first link, which actually goes to the score and parts... here to modify - this edited link now goes to the first page of the Scherzo..) should be the right one...

[eschiss1]

the main theme of the 2nd symphony scherzo, in Violins I, is B B C# D EDC#B C# F# C#
D C# B C# D E F#

(see the manuscript score link above, again.) (followed in canon/imitation by 2nd violins, then cello...)
I hope that helps?

[Ilja]

Seems that the last part of the 2nd movement got combined with the beginning of the third in my recording. So oops. I noticed that the end of the last movement is genuinely quite different. Maybe Winter-Hjelm's original vs. the version that Kvandal worked on?

[Mark Thomas]

the end of the last movement is genuinely quite different

I admit I didn't play to the end of the movement in either recording when comparing them. No doubt the reason for the difference is as you say.