Considered to be one of the great Nordic symphonies of it's time, Wilhelm Stenhammar's Symphony No. 2 in G minor was a long time in the making. Stenhammar the conductor and pianist was a leading figure in the musical life of Sweden and Scandinavia, but in his role as composer he struggled with self-doubt, feeling that his knowledge of musical theory was insufficient. In 1910 he decided to address this perceived shortcoming, and began an intensive study of counterpoint which included setting himself several thousand assignments over the following decade. At the same time, between 1911 and 1915, Stenhammar composed his G minor symphony, and against this background it is hardly surprising that it displays his preoccupation with counterpoint, it's final movement a grandiose double fugue. If the symphony is one of Stenhammar's most celebrated works, his music for Strindberg's A Dream Play is one of the least-known. It was composed for a production of Strindberg's existential drama in 1916, a year after the completion of the Symphony. Rarely performed after that, the music was arranged into a concert version in 1970 by Hilding Rosenberg. Christian Lindberg and the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra have previously recorded Stenhammar's Serenade to critical acclaim.

Tracklist:

Symphony No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 34: I. Allegro Energico
Symphony No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 34: II. Andante
Symphony No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 34: III. Scherzo. Allegro Ma Non Troppo Presto
Symphony No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 34: IV. Finale. Sostenuto - Allegro Vivace - Tranquillamente - Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Ett Drömspel

UPC: 7318599923291
Label: Bis
Release Date: 8.3.18
Format: CD

Stenhammar - Symphony 2 (CD)