Gramophone: Outstanding.
This album features Wilhelm Stenhammar’s Excelsior!, a youthful symphonic overture filled with Wagnerian fervor, and his Symphony No. 2 in G minor, a mature and introspective work showcasing his distinct Nordic style. Excelsior!, written in 1896, brims with passionate energy and vivid orchestral colors, reflecting Stenhammar’s early influences and dynamic temperament.
The Symphony No. 2, composed between 1911 and 1915, is a testament to Stenhammar’s evolution as a composer, combining Swedish folk idioms with intricate contrapuntal techniques. The symphony explores themes of melancholy, hope, and resolution, culminating in a final movement featuring an extensive fugue and a serene conclusion.
Performed by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra under Neeme Järvi, this recording captures the grandeur and emotional depth of Stenhammar’s orchestral masterpieces.
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