Dear all,
I thought some of you might be interested in the three concerts broadcast by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra as part of their "150 Years of Stenhammar" celebrations. As usual, the videos are an example of how concert registrations should be done. And the music isn't half bad, either.
Violin & Orchestra (30 September 2021) - link (https://www.konserthuset.se/en/play/150-years-of-stenhammar-violin-and-orchestra/)
Excelsior! - Two Sentimental Romances for Violin & Orchestra - Serenade in F major - Violin Sonata (Johan Dalene, violin; Andrew Manze, conductor)
Piano & Orchestra (23 September 2021) - link (https://www.konserthuset.se/en/play/150-years-of-stenhammar-piano-and-orchestra/)
Piano Concerto No. 2 - From Three Little Piano Pieces (encore) - Symphony No. 1 (Martin Sturfält, piano; Patrik Ringborg, conductor)
Songs (29 September 2021) - link (https://www.konserthuset.se/en/play/150-years-of-stenhammar-lied-evening/)
Miah Persson, soprano; Karl-Magnus Fredriksson baritone; Magnus Svensson piano
Thanks for those links. Interesting that they chose the very Wagnerian 1st Symphony ( which Stenhammar withdrew ) rather than the much better known second. In spite of the obvious influence, it is a very fine piece which deserves to be heard.
The orchestra performed the First Symphony last year with Andrew Manze, so the fact that the material was available may have played a role. Interestingly, Ringborg's timings remain close to Manze's, but his version does feel quite different, particularly the second half.
By the way, while I do hear Wagner influences, I wouldn't really call the symphony "Wagnerian" in the same way that, say, some of d'Indy's stuff is.
A few years ago, I had the honour to briefly chat with Herbert Blomstedt after a concert (a deeply moving Mahler 9). Among other, I asked him why he would mostly resort to Stenhammar's Second instead of giving the 1st an outing every once in a while – he said (in fluent German, having led German orchestras for many years) that it was too much modelled after Bruckner for him – ha added "quite good a model of course, but only "modelled after" instead of having its own voice" (or so, I do not recall his exact words).
Although a brief chat, a memory that will last!
The 2nd is hardly overplayed here, either. (I still recall, from the Nation, the late John Leonard writing something like -after too much of Stenhammar's second- ? after a concert (and I like John Leonard, but can't find myself agreeing...)