Hugo Alfvén: Complete Symphonies, Suites, Rhapsodies

Hugo Alfvén: Complete Symphonies, Suites, Rhapsodies

8.507015 (Naxos Records, CD, 7 discs)

COMPILATION (25 November 2022)

Playing time: 70'32"/72'57"/78'46"/58'12"/57'47"/73'12"/68'28" - TT 479'54"
Tracks: 10 + 12 + 6 + 5 + 5 + 13 + 14
Booklet pages: 28
℗ 1995-2007 Naxos Rights US Inc
© 2022 Naxos Rights US Inc
Main country of recording: Sweden
Country of manufacture: Germany
Reviewer: Geoff Pearce
Review of Hugo Alfvén: Complete Symphonies, Suites, Rhapsodies published on 30 December 2022

Royal Scottish National Orchestra (CD1, CD3)
National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland (CD2)
Iceland Symphony Orchestra (CD4)
Norrköping Symphony Orchestra (CD5, CD6)
Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra (CD7)
Niklas Willén, conductor (CD1-CD6)
Okko Kamu, conductor (CD7)

Hugo Alfvén (1872-1960):

CD1 (8.553962)

1 Festspel (Festival Overture), Op 25 (1907)

2-5 Suite from Bergakungen (The Mountain King, 1917-1922)

6 Uppsala-rapsodi (Uppsala Rhapsody), Op 24 (Swedish Rhapsody No 2, 1907)

7-10 Symphony No 1 in F minor, Op 7 (1897, revised 1903-4 and 1948)


CD2 (8.555072)

1-7 Suite from the ballet Den fölorade sonen (The Prodigal Son) (1957)

8-12 Symphony No 2 in D, Op 11 (1897-98)


CD3 (8.553729)

1 Dala-rhapsodien (Dalecarlian Rhapsody), Op 47 (Swedish Rhapsody No 3, 1931)

2 En skärgårdssägen (A Legend of the Skerries), Op 20 (1904)

3-6 Symphony No 3 in E, Op 23 (1905)


CD4 (8.557284)

1-4 Symphony No 4 in C minor, Op 39 (1918-19) (From the Outermost Skerries)

5 Festival Overture, Op 52 (1944)


CD5 (8.557612)

1-4 Symphony No 5 in A minor, Op 54 (1942-52)

5 Andante religioso (version for harp, celesta and strings) from Uppenbarelsekantat (Revelation Cantata), Op 31


CD6 (8.557828)

Hugo Alfvén, arranged by E Hladisch:

1-6 Suite from the music for the film Synnöve Solbakken, Op 50 (1934)

Hugo Alfvén:

7-12 En Bygdesaga (A Country Tale), suite from the film Mans kvinna, Op 53 (1944)

13 Élégie (vid Emil Sjögrens bår) (Elegy at Emil Sjögren's Funeral), Op 38 (1918)


CD7 (8.553115) - Swedish Orchestral Favourites, Vol 1

August Söderman (1832-1876):

1 Svenskt festspel (Swedish Festival Music) (1958)

Wilhelm Stenhammar (1871-1927):

2 Mellanspel ur kantaten Sången (Interlude from the cantata The Song) (1921)

Lars-Erik Larsson (1908-1986):

3-5 Pastoralsvit (Pastoral Suite), Op 19 (1938)

6 Epilog ur En Vintersaga (Epilogue from The Winter's Tale) (1937)

Wilhelm Peterson-Berger (1867-1942):

7 Intåg i Sommarhagen (Entry into Sommarhagen), No 2 from Frösöblomster (Frösö Flowers) Book 3, Sommarhagen (1914) (arranged for orchestra)

8 Sommarsång (Summer Song), No 2 from Frösöblomster (Frösö Flowers) Book 1, Op 16 (1896) (arranged for orchestra)

9 Gratulation (Congratulations), No 5 from Frösöblomster (Frösö Flowers) Book 1, Op 16 (1896) (arranged for orchestra)

10 Vid Frösö kyrka (At Frösö Church), No 6 from Frösöblomster (Frösö Flowers) Book 1, Op 16 (1896) (arranged for orchestra)

Hugo Alfvén:

11 Polka från Roslagen 'Roslagsvår' (Polka from Roslagen - Swedish Polka) - No 6 from the ballet Den fölorade sonen (The Prodigal Son) (1957)

Dag Wirén (1905-1986):

12 Marcia from Serenad för stråkorkester (Serenade for Strings) (1937)

Hugo Alfvén:

13 Elegi (1932) from the orchestral suite Gustav II adolf, Op 49, originally composed as music to the play Vi (We)

14 Midsommarvaka (Midsummer Vigil), Op 19 - Swedish Rhapsody No 1 (1903)

Hugo Alfvén's music has always been close to the hearts of the Swedish people, and ranks among some of the most significant and representative of the spirit of the country. Alfvén is known as a cheerful entertainer in compositions such as Den förlorade sonen ('The Prodigal Son'), but his symphonies reveal a different, more elegiac and often more dramatic side. The success of Alfvén's symphonies fundamentally changed Sweden's musical climate and, with a substantial collection of further orchestral music representing his gloriously rich and varied style, these recordings sweep us into the remarkable world of Scandinavian landscape and culture.