Penguin Guide 3 stars.
This album features two of Hugo Alfvén’s most celebrated orchestral works: his Symphony No. 2 in D major and Midsommarvaka (Swedish Rhapsody No. 1), performed by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra under Neeme Järvi.
Alfvén’s Symphony No. 2 is an expansive and emotionally charged work, sketched during summers by the sea in the Stockholm archipelago. Though it begins with brightness and lyrical flow, the music soon turns darker, reflecting the composer’s own struggles and inner turmoil. The final movement—constructed as a prelude and fugue—contains a transformed Lutheran chorale, adding spiritual depth and formal brilliance.
In contrast, Midsommarvaka is a lively, humorous tone poem capturing the riotous spirit of a Swedish midsummer night, complete with folk melodies, drinking, brawling, romance, and joyful dance. While playful on the surface, the piece is intricately crafted and reveals Alfvén’s skill at integrating folk idioms with symphonic form.
Together, these works illustrate the two sides of Alfvén: the deeply serious symphonist and the vivid musical storyteller.
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