Atterberg Ballet Music

[Richard Moss]

I'm just starting a new cycle of going through my CDs (A-Z by composer) and looking for any gaps I might wish to fill.  In doing so I've noticed that Atterberg wrote 3 ballets. Now, whilst I'm not usually a fan of complete stage works recordings, I usually like the overtures/preludes, suites etc. often taken from them.

In the case of Atterberg's ballets, I'm finding slim pickings or even less in both recordings available and even non-academic literature about these works (i.e. I'm looking for the sort of level of info that would be on accompanying sleeve notes).

Like many a 20th c. composers, some of his later works (e.g. Sym 9) are definitely not my cup of tea but quite often somewhat earlier stuff I find is still quite 'romantic' in style.

If anyone can advise on either available recordings and/or information on his ballet works I would really appreciate it. 

Thanks

Richard

[Ilja]

All three of Atterberg's ballets were written early in his career, between 1914 and 1919. There seems to be little in the way of recordings; all I can find is the Prelude (Förspel) to Per the Swineherd (1914). To my knowledge, Balettskisser (Ballet Scenes, 1919) was never recorded, but Atterberg worked themes from The Foolish Maiden (De fåvitska jungfrurna) (1917) into what he called a Rhapsody (but feels much more like a suite) in 1920.

[Richard Moss]

Ilja,

Thanks for your prompt reply with the links to the preludes etc. to which I've now had a first listen - most enjoyable and I feel definitely reflecting his early 'romanticism'.  I didn't find anything recorded when I tried Presto et al.

If the rest of these ballets is as pleasant as these two links, then we are sadly missing some really enjoyable music.  Wonder why neither CPO particularly (given their apparent desire to satisfy us 'completists', as Mark labelled us!) nor CHANDOS picked up on these works (either complete ballets or just the preludes?) when they were doing their orchestral sets?. 

Poses the question: When is a box-set of "The complete works of..." NOT the complete works?

Cheers

Richard

[Ilja]

Ballet music, in its original form and when done right, forms a careful interplay with the visual element of dance. For that reason, a complete ballet score is almost always a bit unsatisfactory as standalone music, in the same way a complete movie score can be a bit of a slog. Which explains why it is usually only succesful in some sort of abbreviated form.

I've been looking for the ballets and to be honest, I'm not even sure they survived apart from De fåvitska jungfrurna, which was printed and is in Atterberg's papers at the Stockholm Academy of Music. Someone suggested (forgotten whom and when, alas) that music from Balettskisser had formed the basis for Atterberg's Barocco suite, but I've never read any corroboration of that information.

[Richard Moss]

Ilya

Your comment "Ballet music, in its original form and when done right, forms a careful interplay with the visual element of dance. For that reason, it is almost always a bit unsatisfactory as standalone music..." I think is most interesting.  On reflection I can see that even enjoying, say Tchaikovsky's ballet music, subconsciously I think the enjoyment comes from it evoking having watched the ballet, otherwise I can see how it would seem to drag.

Glad that at least we have the clips you sent me the links for.

Agaibn, many thanks

Richard

[Gareth Vaughan]

When is a box-set of "The complete works of..." NOT the complete works?

Very often in my experience. One such example is the CPO set of Volkmann's "Complete Orchestral Works", from which the Konzertstuck for piano & orchestra is conspicuously absent.

[TerraEpon]

Poses the question: When is a box-set of "The complete works of..." NOT the complete works?

Almost always. Especially when getting into ones for all of the composer's music, outside of BIS's Sibelius edition they are usually lacking in things.