Hugo Alfvén - Symphony No.2 in D-major, Op.11 (1898)

Hugo Alfvén
Work: Symphony No.2 in D-major, Op.11 (1898)
Mov.I: Moderat 00:00
Mov.II: Andante 14:49
Mov.III: Allegro 30:55
Mov.IV: Preludio, Adagio 40:50
Mov.V: Fugue, Allegro energico 47:19
Orchestra: Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Yevgeny Svetlanov

[@DaveInLAS]

Only 26 yrs old when he composed this!

[@richardhyde5997]

This wonderful symphony was my introduction to Alfvén some 40 years ago. Sadly, he has been neglected by me and so many others. No more; a further investigation of his music has begun. Please join me.

[@dmeachy]

I'm with you. I could tell it was Hugo after the first couple measures of this piece. I frequently listen to his Swedish Rhapsody #1.

[@Siegfried5846]

It would be good if his music was played to Swedish schoolchildren so that we would know him at least.

[@dmeachy]

I love the art work of all the pieces you've posted. Subscribed! Thank you!

[@rudivandereep9611]

What i enjoy about classics is the individual genetics of each composer

[@gunnarhallstedt9265]

The inspiration for Mov 1 Alfvén got when he was sailing in the Stockholm Archipelago. The imposant and majestic theme in the second part of Mov 5 is an old Swedish Psalm hymn called "I go to death where I go". Notice that Alfvén was just 26 years old when he wrote this Symphony. Brilliant performance!

[@ylvaeliaeson4593]

It is the first time I hear it and it is beautiful!🌺

[@andreasvenator]

Dear Gunnar, my grandfather was commodore of one of the yacht clubs in Riga during the 1930´s and often hosted Mr. Alfven up to the late 1930s at summer banquets in his yacht club. The last great sailing tour they did together was a trip in the summer of 1938. My dad was 10 at the time and was allowed to join on my grandfather´s yacht. The waypoints were Riga, Estonia and Gotland, whereafter Mr. Alfven sailed back to Sweden and my grandpa and dad sailed back to Riga after parting company. My grandfather received a little watch (Spieluhr) from him which played the opening bars of his summer rhapsody. I can still hum the tune to this day...wonderful memories!

[@jaimehudson7623]

Thank-You! Music like this surely heals the Mind & Soul.

[@bowerdw]

If people consulted me, I would be comfortable saying this symphony with a very worthwhile listen.

[@steveegallo3384]

Doug Bower -- What do you mean "if"?? Don't I ALWAYS consult you? How much more can I Give??

[@bowerdw]

@@steveegallo3384 No, you don't "ALWAYS consult" me. Thank goodness! LOL!

[@bowerdw]

@Steven Moore LOL! I wouldn't. It was just for this work.

[@giginorman1955]

This is a great symphony glad to hear it in full now that I'm 47!!!

[@fortunatomartino8549]

I'm 59

[@giginorman1955]

I don't listen to much of Alfven's music. But the symphony no. 2 really grabs me.

[@tomstarzeck7137]

This has quickly become one of my favorites..number 4 is also quite beautiful

[@dmeachy]

Swedish Rhapsody #1 is uplifting.

[@Brian_B505]

How has this composer stayed under the radar so long?!! Thanks for the introduction, the gift of music is one of the greatest you can give.

[@darrylschultz6479]

This piece had faded from people's minds by the time radar was invented several decades later in 1935.

[@tomstarzeck7137]

@@darrylschultz6479 🤣🤣

[@Brian_B505]

@@darrylschultz6479 😄

[@mrturtle1128]

I am so glad to have found your channel, literally every day I am listening to a new video you posted and liking it

[@KevinJRogers]

Ditto. You're a godsend KD2 (and KD3 and KD4 and KD5).

[@edgarrandy5737]

Instablaster

[@pottersmiles7238]

I love this. Only a few minutes in too. First time hearing it

[@stockholmsfisk]

As a resident in Sweden, I know Alfvén very closely. I can recommend these three pieces of his,I consider they are the best of his broad, and sometimes, in quality divergent output: The Symphony nr 4, the orchestral song " En båt med Blommor" (A boat with flowers) a poem by Oscar Levertin and the ballet "Bergakungen" ( The Mountain King).

[@cajstrandberg4993]

I love Alfvén's music - especially the second symphony and his tone poem "En skärgårdsägen". I'm curious about "En båt med blommor" but never heard it. Do you know if there is any recording of it?

[@stockholmsfisk]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3-TeGSnqL-eeKM

[@stockholmsfisk]

This is the best recording of this piece, Erik Saedén was, I would dare to say, the Swedish equivalent to Dieter Fischer-Diskau.

[@cajstrandberg4993]

@@stockholmsfisk Thanks! So wonderful - I wasn't aware that it was available on KZbin. :)

[@MegaCirse]

Heard this music the first time on a long-haul flight. His eccentric strangeness really impressed me, so much ahead of his time !

[@Troskyi]

majestic charm in the first movement, his thematic development is like shorthand for the big sweeping romantic gestures of his contemporaries. he can sort of fast forward to the relevant emotional content without cheapening it.

[@miguelsaizgarcia3722]

My favorite symphony of Hugo Alfvén!

[@MegaCirse]

We are delighted ...... ;-)

[@mladenmike5224]

Listening to Alfven is like being in Swedish Norrland with it's all contrasts of instrumental variations. Couple of times driving North landsvägarna towards Luleå music sounds paint fantastisk inspiration in your head .

[@aramkhachaturian8043]

Another hidden gem to add to my collection

[@flanor7540]

Great work! So far I was completely unfamiliar with this composer and his work. A revelation! I will listen to him more.

[@davidgunn3947]

Composers from Northern Europe, need I say more.......... Absolutely brilliant

[@danielsimmons7970]

Hugo Alfven (1872-1960), Swedish composer, watercolorist and writer (4 vol. autobiography), composed over 200 works, including 5 symphonies.

[@Quotenwagnerianer]

My favourite of his symphonies. Actually my favourite in this kind of idiom. Sounds like a mixture between Brahms, Dvorak, Grieg and Wagner.

[@extrasalt4595]

And Sibelius. Hoomeyow!!

[@Jonsson474]

Distinctly Swedish romantic nationalism. Similar Swedish composers are Kurt Atterberg, Wilhelm Peterson-Berger, Wilhelm Stenhammar and August Söderman. Yes I would also put Dvorak, Smetana, Grieg, Borodin and Glinka in the same bracket.

[@PANDORASBOXRELEASE]

at 30:51, the entire audience deserves a medal for holding in that tuberculosis so well.

[@ericmoninpianocomposer5454]

Wonderful post-romantic symphony!

[@horsemeattball]

A no-holds barred, energetic, unapologetically Romantic work. Very much like early Dvorak. Music you can listen to over and over. Do I care if critics consider this piece outdated when written? Do I care if it snows in Antarctica?

[@dmeachy]

Outdated? I cannot adhere that awful tag on any symphonic piece no matter how old it is. Music ages better than anything.

[@MontyVierra]

Thanks for uploading this. And thanks to those people contributing to the work with background information on the composer. Both of those are how a work gets to a wider public, not bemoaning the fact that because we haven't heard something it must be unknown.

[@jsmithmedia2756]

The first movement has so much character all its own! Such a beautiful work. I will be looking into the composer more.

[@oldrichcepelka296]

Dramatic, dark, energic... a quite new find for me.

[@davebarclay4429]

At first I wasn't entirely sure about this performance. Although I'm a huge fan of Svetlanov I felt he was driving the music too hard. However by the time we got to 55:12, surely one of the most glorious passages in all Alfven's music, he had won me over. Another big thanks to KuhlauDilfeng2

[@leonardomauretti6742]

Very interesting Symphony , considering that he was only 26 when wrote it. Great technique and great control of the orchestration. The first movement is really beautiful. Absolutely to rediscover.

[@Jonsson474]

He was also a music teacher, a doctor of music at Uppsala University and the leader of the Royal Court Orchestra.

[@bowerdw]

Why great music, great art, great writings, great acts are not noticed remains something of a mystery. Explanations fail to capture the true essence surrounding success of works of all kinds. There is nothing wrong with this work, it simply falls among those that for whatever reason is not noticed. KZbin visibility extended its visibility, but because there are so many others, this work remains obscure even under the new media offerings.

[@paullewis2413]

I wouldn’t call this symphony great music, however it certainly is fully professional and most certainly deserves to be heard more often instead of constant repeats of the “standard repertory”. In Europe orchestras are exploring more and more seldom heard works but that doesn’t seem to be the case so much in the U.S. and might be one of the causes of dwindling audiences.

[@rburgess9964]

@@peterbuckley265 What you have written is so true. The BBC takes a lot of the blame - promoting a coterie of chosen young composers for 'new' music while using its fine orchestras to roll out works from a very limited number of famous composers. Some works really do need new champions - Grace Williams's violin concerto is easily a match for Walton's but but seems to be never performed, certainly not a-in a braodcast concert

[@mladenmike5224]

Sen jag var små barn vi lysnade på Hugo Alfvens symphonier på farsans gamla LP hi-fi spelaren med varma ljud. Svenska rapsodi nr-1 är favorit. Kan höra det om och om igen .....

[@steveegallo3384]

Yes, this is a colossal work....Monumental! Right up there with Nielsen and (almost) Sibelius. BRAVO Sweden & Svetlanov!

[@ClarinetMate]

55:12 simply judging by this passage I know this is the best recording. Beautifully balanced. Most other performances the brass just try to drown the woodwinds. Here you can hear the two families in perfect balance.

[@adolfodorantes4791]

Especial y bella sinfonía con detalles musicales sui generis que no se puede etiquetar o comparar.en sus temas,desarrollo y orquestación es muy propia del compositor. Me gustó la interpretación en vivo.

[@donaldauguston9740]

Magnificent! Thank you for posting. DA

[@blofeld2430]

That second movement is just majestic.

[@basb0y]

Changing from Sibelius to Brahms at 25:13 my skin started to have a life of its own!! wooooow

[@andrewdaws7275]

This is really lovely.

[@harryandruschak2843]

Thank you so much for uploading this masterpiece. Here in Los Angeles, Alfen is considered a one-work composer. Guess which one. It is so refreshing to hear his other works.

[@frankborder]

I think that is like most places.

[@SpaghettiToaster]

frankborder Most places don't know what a Hugo Alfven is.

[@steveegallo3384]

@@SpaghettiToaster -- True, even among some music lovers, like me, he'd be considered 'unknown.' That said, "BRAVO" from México!

[@julianfwong]

According to the Internet, Swedish Rhapsody no.1? and here in Hong Kong I don't think there is even a performance on Alfven that is conducted here... he is super unknown!

[@darrylschultz6479]

@@steveegallo3384 I've gotta be honest-I didn't know you could toast spaghetti?!(Don't tell him I said that!).

[@frankborder]

all of the feels

[@MattReads12]

Getting to like Hugo Alfven more, even though is one of the lesser known composers (Swedish). I'm hearing some Beethoven, Brahms and Bruckner influences.

[@michaellyndon6982]

I'm hearing Sibelius and Bruckner myself, but a lot of the Late Romantic composers share similar styles in general (Though I'm not sure if Beethoven counts as Late Romantic)

[@e_mc58tyre]

The score is available through the publisher Wise Music Classical

[@PauloCesarMaiadeAguiar]

Amazing Dear Many thanks for to share this dear Fantastic

[@giovanskj9322]

Splendida sinfonia!

[@justusgreen8498]

Brilliant piece of composed music

[@federicopalaciostrigo9739]

¡¡¡IMPRESIONANTE!!!

[@norwalltino]

I'm in awe, totally smashed, Alven is a genius, greetings from Norway!🤣🤣🤣

[@HumMax2]

Very nice. I listen every day to it. I suppose I listen to Beethoven again.

[@stevenru4516]

So glad I found this

[@rickos1915]

He also wrote "Skogen Sover" a gorgeous song sung by Jussi Bjorling.

[@fortunatomartino8549]

Just discovered this at age 59

[@fulviopolce9785]

Attorno al 22' c'è un guasto ? Comunque gran bella,epica sinfonia con influsso dei russi e di Tchaikowsky in particolare.

[@ryans930]

Does anyone know where I can buy this recording?

[@alexk3987]

This seems to be a different Svetlanov performance to the one on the CD that I own (1988, Musica Sveciae) - same orchestra, but different timings. The 1988 one takes 65 minutes to this one's 58 and a half...

[@alexz580]

Неплохо

[@ajmittendorf]

Anyone know the painting?

[@kaybeenullenvoyde9196]

I would appreciate hearing from the 5 "thumbs down" folks who dissed this. Why?

[@rr7firefly]

June 2020 -- so many of these videos are not playing. "An error occurred. Please try again later. Is anyone else encountering that problem?

[@lynxuscesarus5526]

Ce romantisme échevelé me plaît...

[@MrBrunosvensson]

Who made the painting?

[@feraudyh]

ALBERT BIERSTADT (I used Google Image Search)

[@throughaglassdarkly6285]

The scene looks like a fanciful rendering of Mtn Robson from Berg Lake (Canadian Rockies). It does seem to be a Bierstadt.

[@alex669953]

Thanks for the music. Can you please tell me the painter's name?

[@samuelcomposer]

23:06 what's up with that?

[@devarim5540]

Who painted the illustration?

[@DavidKrebsisplaying]

Picture?

[@frankborder]

wish he would have taken Alfven's metronome/tempo markings in the introduction to the first movement - which are drastically different leave it to Svetlanov to abuse "artistic license" - an otherwise amazing conductor who is plagued by being overly fanciful

[@christianspillemose4074]

first movement is fantastic. The rest is a bit boring buy okay. His third symphony is better the whole way through

[@clintschaum8314]

Symphony 4

[@clintschaum8314]

Alfvén symphony 4

[@clintschaum8314]

Alfvén symphony no. 3 58:36