Otto Olsson

[Mark Thomas]

I've recently been reminding myself of the music of the Swedish composer Otto Olsson (1879-1964), familiar from a couple of Sterling CDs of his orchestral and piano music. His sole Symphony in particular is a very fine piece, written on a grand scale and of novel construction (a fugal Scherzo and a slow movement twice as long as any other movement?). It was written when he was in his twenties, but only discovered after his death. The performance on Sterling from Mats Liljefors and the Gävleborg Symphony Orchestra is adequate but rather detached, unfortunately. However, I've recently come across a greatly superior one from Stig Westerberg and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Westerberg's interpretation is much more dramatic and taut, shaving five minutes off Liljefors' timing, and the orchestra play with tremendous virtuosity and commitment. All in all it reveals Olsson's Symphony as a fine, if rather quirky, symphony - would that all unsung works were treated to such a performance. The recording is available in our Downloads Board here.

[Alan Howe]

I'd certainly echo Mark's comments about Westerberg's performance - it makes a huge difference when unfamiliar music is accorded this level of commitment and virtuosity. What a very fine conductor Westerberg was.

[Tapiola]

I listened to this symphony some months ago (Sterling recording) and I thought it was weak, with no substance, something to forget. I hope this different performance will bring the work in a more convincing reading. Thanks for sharing it.

[Mark Thomas]

I can't promise that Westerberg's reading will convince you of the symphony's merits, but I doubt it could have a better performance. Certainly it knocks spots off the Sterling one.

[Joachim Raff]

I agree, Stig is my favourite Swedish conductor of all time. He did more than any other championing Swedish Composers. Many thx for bringing this recording to my attention. 

[Alan Howe]

And there's also a Sterling CD of solo piano music, plus his rather lovely Introduction & Scherzo for Piano and Orchestra, which I picked up dirt cheap from jpc. He's not a major composer, but one whose music gives unfailing pleasure.

[kolaboy]

I've got an lp recording of his requiem, but I haven't listened to it for some years. Need to dig it out...

[terry martyn]

I finally got around to acquiring the Sterling CD. I had been rather put off the acquisition in the past, mostly by the lukewarm comments on the Amazon website. The CD arrived yesterday in the same week that Musicweb gave a rave review. I´ve already played it twice and I´m sure that I will return to it often. It far exceeded my expectations that were based on a belief that it would turn out to be a derivative student work. By no means a Late Romantic work, it could easily have been composed by someone of the same generation as Olsson´s parents. I have found it the work of someone who would appear to appreciate Mendelssohn ,and in the finale, Raff.

[Mark Thomas]

Terry, if you haven't already done so, do look out the Stig Westerberg performance in our Downloads Board, mentioned at the beginning of this thread. It's a revelation.

[terry martyn]

Enjoyed the first three movements,Mark.   My laptop has stubbornly refused to start the fourth, which is a pity!

[Mark Thomas]

I've PMed you about the last movement, Terry.

[terry martyn]

Thanks,Mark.  It is playing, in all its quirkiness, as I type