Hugo Alfvén

[Mark Thomas]

I don't have the Segerstam, so I'm commenting "blind" as it were, but the timing differences between Järvi and him in the first three movements seem extreme: 32% longer, 27% shorter and 59% longer. It's surprising that the perceived difference seems to be a lot less, but I do appreciate that it's often a question of relative, not just absolute tempi.

[Wheesht]

I was surprised myself at how little, comparatively, I felt the difference in tempi. Others may well have had different listening experiences.

[Alan Howe]

Just re-acquired the Westerberg recording of Symphony No.4. I had it on LP and long-buried memories are now flooding back. It has two unsurpassed soloists in Gösta Winbergh (fabulous top notes) and Elisabeth Söderström (rich-toned and vibrant) which make it a particular pleasure - and, of course, Stig Westerberg was an absolute master in the Scandinavian repertoire. To top it all, the audio quality is still stunning after 40 years. And then, of course, there is the work itself, surely a nordic response to Richard Strauss: if not the ultimate in guilty pleasures, then pretty close!

[sdtom]

My experience is limited to the Naxos #8553962 which was recommended to me and is a good one. It has his first symphony as well as the Festival Overture, Uppsala Rhapsody, and Mountain King Suite. I should look into more as I like this composer.

[semloh]

Thanks, Wheesht, for the comparison. The time differences are significant, and maybe are indicative of Järvi's more - shall we say - 'cautious' approach. I think I'll plump for Segerstam.

To my great disappointment, I often find Järvi's performances rather boring and unimaginative. Maybe it's because he tends to take fast sections a bit slower than other conductors, and slow sections slightly faster - the overall effect being a loss of contrast, and a dullness at odds with the music. I say "disappointment" because I love much of the music he conducts. Unfortunately, almost all my Alfvén is conducted by Järvi, a little by Westerberg, and none by Segerstam! 

[Wheesht]

Not having listened to my Alfvén recordings for quite some time, I had forgotten what I had... turns out it's just the one Järvi disc on BIS, all the others (apart from a Sterling release with Orchestral Suites from Films) are Swedish Society Discofil CDs, conducted by Segerstam or Nils Grevillius, and one very interesting one with the composer himself conducting early experimental stereo recordings of Festive Music for Orchestra, Midsummer's Vigil &Swedish Rhapsody No. 1) , The Mountain King and The Prodigal Son. Alfvén, who was 82 when the recording was made, was very keen to do Midsummer's Vigil in the right tempo – apparently he referred to an earlier, Much too fast, recording as the Presto-polka).

I bought my Discofil CDs in the early 1990s and thought the recordings were no longer available, but I see that the label still exists and that there is a 'Hugo Alfvén Edition' on Swedish Society Discofil.