A characteristic trait in Allan Pettersson's music is the use of strong contrasts - shifts between an enormous intensity and calm relaxation, between complex and violently dissonant passages and peaceful, simple melodies and harmonies. This certainly applies to both works recorded here by the NorrkÃ¶ping Symphony Orchestra and Christian Lindberg - the composer's Fifth and Seventh Symphonies. PremiÃ¨red in 1963 and 1968 respectively, these two symphonies contributed substantially to Pettersson's public standing during the 1960s. The Fifth earned him the music prize of the newspaper Expressen, while at the same time Pettersson's extensive use of traditional harmony, particularly in the slow ending of the work, caused a number of commentators to criticize it as 'outmoded'. In 1964, the symphony probably contributed to Pettersson being selected as one of the first recipients of a public remuneration scheme for composers which guaranteed them a lifelong minimum income. Four years later, the first performance of Symphony No. 7 was conducted by Antal DorÃ¡ti, the dedicatee of the work. The event is often described as Pettersson's 'breakthrough', and DorÃ¡ti's recording of the work in 1969 with the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra earned the performers and the composer a 'Swedish Grammy' Award each. Pettersson's Seventh remains the most recorded and most frequently performed of all of his works. It is heard here in a performance from what are widely regarded as the leading Pettersson interpreters of our time.

Tracklist:

Symphony No. 5: Beginning
Symphony No. 5: Figure 17
Symphony No. 5: Figure 43
Symphony No. 5: Figure 129
Symphony No. 7: Beginning
Symphony No. 7: Bar 53
Symphony No. 7: Bar 172
Symphony No. 7: Bar 255
Symphony No. 7: Bar 311
Symphony No. 7: Bar 389
Symphony No. 7: Bar 432
Symphony No. 7: Bar 450
Symphony No. 7: Bar 512
Symphony No. 7: Bar 564
Symphony No. 7: Bar 613
Symphony No. 7: Bar 648
Symphony No. 7: Bar 707

UPC: 7318599922409
Label: Bis
Release Date: 4.6.18
Format: CD

Pettersson / Norrkoping Symphony Orch - Symphonies 5 & 7 (CD)