Déjà Review: this review was first published in October 2003 and the recording is still available.
Jussi Björling (tenor)
Till havs (Towards the Sea)
The Royal Orchestra/Nils Grevillius
Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra/Stig Westerberg
rec. 1957-59, Stockholm
Swedish Society Discofil SCD1100 [52]
At this late stage in his career Björling’s quick vibrato had developed an emphasis not quite so apparent in his earlier years. The ringing confidence of the voice however is blessedly undimmed – in fact stronger. Listen to him in the Nessun Dorma style Jag längtar dig and also in the Lehár-Tauber-style ‘vehicle’ of Så tag mit hjerte. There are moments when you catch yourself thinking that this collection is like a Nordic echo of the Neapolitan songs perpetrated by generations of Italan tenors and baritones but without the risible sobs and excesses and musically far more sustaining. However, there are more sophisticated things here too, all invigorated by Björling’s erotically meaty delivery. It is sobering to think that he would die peacefully in his sleep at the age of fifty, only three years after the earliest of these recordings.
Björling is captured here in sound of startling immediacy. The Swedes always had a way with recording technology witness such classic albums as the first recording of Blomdahl’s I speglarnas sal. The strengths are fully in evidence here in the work of Sixten Eriksson of Grammofon AB Electra and of the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation.
In Till havs waves crash heroically against the cliffs. Björling sounds in good voice with a rather Wagnerian helden-bark in there too. The two Sibelius songs, superbly orchestrated, are subtle and very finely crafted.
A treasure snatched from last minute oblivion and a memorable memento of a great voice and personality in music both patriotic, sentimental and stimulating.
Rob Barnett
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Contents
Hugo ALFVÉN
Jag langtar dig (I long for you)
Så tag mit hjerte (Now take my heart)
Wilhelm PETERSON-BERGER
Bland skogens höga furustammar (Among the high fir trees in the forest)
När jag för mig själv i mörka skogen går (When I walk alone in the dark forest)
August KÖRLING
Till havs (Towards the Sea)*
Aftonstämning (Evening mood)
Wilhelm STENHAMMAR
Sverige (Sweden)
Jean SIBELIUS
Säv, Säv, susa (Sigh, Rushes, Sigh)
Demanten på marssnön (The diamond on the March snow)
August SÖDERMAN
Kung Heimer och Aslaug (King Heimer and Aslaug)
Trollsjön (The enchanted lake)
Carl SJÖBERG
Tonerna (Music)
Ragnald ALTHÉN
Land, du välsignade (Thou blessed land)
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
Guds lov i naturen (Nature’s Praise of God)
Adolphe ADAM
O helga natt (O holy night)
