Clearly a rarity and clearly in the domain of the Romantics, members should take in this live concert at Swedish radio
Wilhelm Stenhammar - Symphony No. 1 in F major.
Concert with the Royal Philharmonic, Stockholm.Martin Sturfält, piano. Conductor: Andrew Manze
Concert 27/3, Stockholm Concert Hall.
http://sverigesradio.se/sida/gruppsida.aspx?programid=4427&grupp=18793&artikel=5845390 (http://sverigesradio.se/sida/gruppsida.aspx?programid=4427&grupp=18793&artikel=5845390)
Why the double-? capitals? Have definitely noticed it taken out for an occasional airing, as it were... though I should note that that link may expire, erm, today.
The next 12 months seem to have at least two concerts (one under Lintu, one with Blomstedt) with his 2nd symphony, and others with his Serenade, the 2nd piano concerto, etc. (didn't see the F major symphony listed, though.)
Thanks, JollyRoger. This is a wonderful performance. Influences can be heard, but Stenhammar has something big to say here. Never heard it said better. Sounds like the maestro and orchestra are convinced of the music's greatness.
For the moment, being new, I purchased the Stenhammer orchestral works on Brilliant Classics.
So, I start to build up a new discography, thanks to Brilliant Classics also.
I've never shared, or even understood, the composer's judgment of this work. I far prefer it to the second of his symphonies.
I like it very much too, but it's surely derivative - like a sort of Scandinavian Bruckner - whereas No.2 is pure Stenhammar and as individual as anything by Sibelius or Nielsen.
Well, maybe I don't really like Stenhammar, then, because he seems to me more appealing when being derivative. I have the same preference for his first piano concerto over his second. I don't think I would ever have bothered with unsung composers in the first place if I disdained derivativeness.
Actually, I also like PC1 more than PC2. It is more derivative than PC2, though. 'Derivative', of course, needn't mean anything negative - just the fact that the earlier music of composers is frequently reminiscent (or more) of composers that came before them. In Stenhammar's case it's undeniable that his later music is more individual than his earlier stuff - and in the case of Symphony No.2 the result was a masterpiece of the first rank. That doesn't stop anyone enjoying No.1 more, of course.
Manze seems to really like this Symphony No. 1. I have a recording from Swedish Radio 2 of his performance with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra from 2011. There is another recording in the Archive. It does not get performed as often as Symphony No. 2, and No. 3 is pretty much ignored in concert halls. I have not heard any recording of the 2nd or 3rd by Manze, but I'm really glad that he is continuing to advocate thie 1st. I like the music of Stenhammar and wish he would get more exposure.
I had the Stenhammar 3rd-reconstruction recording but never did check to see if there was a note anywhere about what editions the two performances (concerto, symphony) were based on. For all I know the symphony-fragment-reconstruction, brief as it is, may not be commercially published, and between that and its brevity I imagine those are further disincentives to taking it up in performance... at least his symphony in F has been in score since sometime last century (not sure when, though from Swedish Musical Heritage (http://levandemusikarv.se/composers/stenhammar-wilhelm/SMH-W673-Symfoni_nr_1_F-dur) I am guessing a publication date (manuscript facs.) of 1931? - hrm - still not sure... - also ,composed and premiered in 1903.)
QuoteActually, I also like PC1 more than PC2.
If you haven't lately heard the performance of PC2 by Janos Solyum and the Munich Philharmonic under Stig Westerberg on EMI, I recommend it highly. A performance that (for me) rewards repeated listening.
The Manze performance from March 2014 is currently featured on Bachtrack:
https://bachtrack.com/at-home-royal-stockholm-philharmonic-orchestra-stenhammar-first-symphony-manze-konserthuset-march-2014 (https://bachtrack.com/at-home-royal-stockholm-philharmonic-orchestra-stenhammar-first-symphony-manze-konserthuset-march-2014)
It's also available via the Stockholm Phil's web site (https://www.konserthuset.se/en/play/stenhammar-symphony-no.-1/).