Hugo Alfvén (1972-1960)
Complete Orchestral Songs
Kerstin Avemo (soprano), Sabina Bisholt (soprano), Tobias Westman (tenor), Karl-Magnus Fredriksson (baritone)
Göteborg Opera Orchestra/Patrik Ringborg
rec. 2023/24, GöteborgsOperan, Göteborg, Sweden
Texts and translations included
dB Productions dBCD218 [80]

Hugo Alfvén had a problem with money. As Joakim Tillman explains in his notes, Alfvén always spent more than he could earn by his compositions and conducting engagements. To augment his funds, he would make multiple versions of his choruses and orchestrate the accompaniment to his songs. Sometimes he would do both with the same piece. This, to my knowledge, is the first complete recording of all these songs. It also includes the two big works, En båt med bloomar (A Boat with Flowers) and Klockorna (The Bells), written with orchestral accompaniment from the beginning.

The Göteborg Opera Orchestra, not to be confused with the Gothenburg Symphony, cover a wide variety of musical genres in their work at the Opera. Here they accompany four prominent Swedish singers. First we have soprano Kerstin Avemo. Her voice is just right for such famous songs as Aftonen (Evening Mood), Skogen sover (The Forest Sleeps) and Du är stilla ro (You Are Quiet Calm), where she ably catches Alfvén’s combination of longing and quietude. Lest we think that Ms. Avemo has all the famous songs for high voice, there is soprano Sabina Bisholt ably singing Alfvén’s setting of the traditional text Gammalt kväde från Hälsingland (Old Ballad from Helsingland). She brings hidden depths to Vaggsang (Lullaby),and a great sense of drama to Se, du kom med jubel och sång (Behold, You Came with Jubilation and Singing).Even more notable is her joyous rendering of Sommardofter (Summer Scents).

Tenor Tobias Westman is given several of the songs derived from choruses, including the well-known I stilla timmar (In Quiet Hours). He does best with the lovely Berceuse,a song more serious than one would expect from the title. Finally, we have one of the stalwarts of the Swedish opera scene, Karl-Magnus Frederiksson. By coincidence, I first became aware of Frederiksson from his 1999 recording of Klockorna on a disc of Alfvén cantatas on Sterling (CDS-1036-2).  Frederiksson has a heroic voice, as demonstrated in his powerful rendering of Klockorna,but he is equally good in the sombre En båt med bloomar and the small-scale Pioner (Peonies).

There is actually a fifth soloist on this recording, Philip Foster, co-principal horn of the Göteborg Opera Orchestra. A number of Alfvén’s orchestrations include large roles for the French Horn. In these, Foster acquits himself well, adding to the overall effect of the orchestrations. His colleagues in the orchestra also do a fine job, and the recording quality is excellent. Overseeing everything is noted conductor Patrik Ringborg. He brings great detail to each song. He draws lovely sounds from the orchestra, but never loses sight of each song’s overall effect. A perfect disc in almost every respect.

William Kreindler

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Contents
10 Songs, Op.4: No.3, Aftonstämning
7 Poems, Op.28: No.7, Se, du kom med jubel och sång
I stilla timmar (Version for Voice & Orchestra)
Vallvisa (Version for Voice & Orchestra)
En båt med blommor, Op.44
Vaggsång (Version for Voice & Orchestra)
Rosor och violer (Version for Voice & Orchestra)
7 Poems, Op.28: No.6, Skogen sover
No.5, Jag längtar dig
10 Songs, Op.4: No.10, Gammalt kväde från Hälsingland
Saa tag mit hjerte (Version for Voice & Orchestra)
Aftonen (Version for Voice & Orchestra)
Vaggvisa (Version for Voice & Orchestra)
Sommardofter, Op.8 No.2
Pioner, Op.22
7 Poems, Op.28: Du är stilla ro
Lindagull (Version for Voice & Orchestra)
10 Songs, Op.4: Var stilla hjärta
Hos drottning Margaretta, Op.18
Talstratten (Version for Voice & Orchestra)
Berceuse (Version for Voice & Orchestra)
Klockorna, Op.13