Rangström's Symphony No. 3 and 'King Erik's Songs'

The Swedish composer Ture Rangström (1884-1947) has appeared here before via his first symphony, in a classic version led by Tor Mann. This post fulfills a request for his Symphony No. 3, accompanied by two sets of orchestral songs, in recordings from the late 1970s.

The third symphony is a middle period work, dating from 1929, and has the subtitle Song under the Stars. The work, inspired by a rough sea voyage, is highly romantic and impressionistic. Its programmatic nature and lack of musical rigor led the Scandinavian music authority Robert Layton to dismiss it as kitsch (see review in the download), but it's an enjoyable listen if you are at all susceptible to such works.

Ture Rangström

The main attraction on this record is the performance of King Erik's Songs by the then-young baritone Håkan Hagegård. In his cover notes, Per Skans writes, "These songs have been referred to as 'songs about a mad king to words by a mad poet,' the poet being Gustaf Fröding." 

I can't tell you much more; no texts or translations were supplied with this record or another recording of the cycle in my collection. I did, however, secure the texts from Liedernet and for the most part relied on Google for translations, which you may find to be somewhat superior to choosing words at random. The songs follow the King from farce through imprisonment and awareness of his impending death.

Also on the disc, and also settings of Gustaf Fröding poems, are Two Songs in Antique Style, one being a colloquy between a knight and a maiden, the other a drinking song. Hagegård sound splendid in both this set and King Erik's Songs.

Janos Fürst, Håkan Hagegård, John Frandsen

The recordings, dating from 1978-79, feature the Helsingborg Symphony, resident in a city on the border of Sweden and Denmark. The orchestra these days has about 70 members; presumably it was about the same strength back then. Not a huge band, but they play well and the recording is pleasing.

In the symphony the conductor is the Hungarian Janos Fürst (1935-2007), who had recently finished a stint as music director in nearby Malmö, and would soon take up the same position in Aalborg, in adjacent Denmark.

The songs are led by the Dane John Frandsen (1918-96), principal conductor at the Royal Danish Opera from 1946 to 1980. Swedish baritone Håkan Hagegård (1945- ) was just finishing several years at the Royal Opera in Stockholm when these recordings were made, and beginning to establish himself as an international artist.

FYI - if you enjoy Rangström's music, the afore-mentioned Tor Mann LP of the first symphony is now available in ambient stereo, along with Mann's recording of Lars-Erik Larsson's Little Suite for Strings. The new versions can be found here.

Tor Mann Conducts Rangström and Larsson

Tor Mann

We've had a few vintage recordings conducted by the fine Swedish maestro Tor Mann recently, courtesy of Maris Kristapsons, and today I'm adding one from my own collection. It is the first symphony by Ture Rangström (1884-1947), made just a few years after the composer's death. As a bonus, I've added the Little Suite for Strings by Lars-Erik Larsson (1908-86) in another early Mann recording. 

Rangström - Symphony No. 1, "August Strindberg in Memoriam"

Ture Rangström

Ture Rangström, a Swedish composer, conductor and critic, wrote four symphonies in common with many other works, and was particularly known for his songs. All his symphonies have been issued at least a few times, but I believe this 1951 reading with the Stockholm Concert Society Orchestra was the first recording of Rangström's symphonic work. (The orchestra is today called the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic.)

That's the composer, not Johnny Depp, on the cover

The composer completed the work in 1914, dedicating it to the memory of the author August Strindberg, who had died a few years before. The composer provided a title for each movement - "Ferment," "Legend," "Troll Rune" and "Battle" - but nevertheless disavowed any program for the work. As the titles may suggest, however, it is a dark-hued, atmospheric composition. The work has been described more as a series of romantic tone poems than a true symphony, but however it might be categorized, it is impressive and expressive.

The location of the 1951 recording is not known, although Decca discographer Philip Stuart suggests it may have been the Stockholm Concert Hall. Whatever the locale, the sound was titled toward the bass, making the work seem even more brooding than the composer may have intended. In his Gramophone review, Lionel Salter complained that "the tuba's every note booms through while the strings lack weight." I've adjusted the sound, and the result is much better balanced, if hardly transparent.

As always, Mann conveys the essence of the work, while never drawing attention to his clever baton wizardry. The Stockholm orchestra plays well, although the attacks are not always in sync.

The download includes contemporary reviews from The Gramophone, New York Times, Saturday Review and The New Records.

Lars-Erik Larsson - Little Suite for Strings

Lars-Erik Larsson

The music of Lars-Erik Larsson has appeared here before in the form of his modernist Violin Concerto, in its first recording, with soloist André Gertler. The Little Suite for Strings, an earlier work, is in the neo-classical style.

In this work, Mann leads the Gothenburg Radio Orchestra. As was the case with the Stockholm ensemble, the Gothenburg orchestra was both a radio and concert entity, switching names as appropriate. 

Mann was the conductor of both ensembles at various times. He led the Gothenburg Symphony from 1925-37 - in succession to Rangström, who apparently wasn't much of a conductor, if the orchestra's website is to be believed. Mann conducted the radio orchestra from 1937 until 1939, when he ran afoul of the board.

Larsson published the Little Suite in 1934, and Mann programmed it that same year with the Gothenburg Symphony; it may well have been the work's premiere.

This recording dates from 1941, and despite the falling out with the orchestra's board, was made with the Gothenburg Radio Orchestra. The Swedish Radio issued the work on its own label, Radiotjänst (Radio Service). I remastered the recording from 78s found on Internet Archive, and the sound is good for the time.

Both these recordings are now remastered in ambient stereo.