Atterberg: Symphony No. 1 & Symphony No. 5 Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra & Neeme Järvi

• Kurt Atterberg (1887 - 1974): Symphony No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 3:
• 1 Atterberg: Symphony No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 3: I. Allegro con fuoco - Tranquillo (Revised 1913) 09:50
• 2 Atterberg: Symphony No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 3: II. Adagio (Revised 1913) 08:29
• 3 Atterberg: Symphony No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 3: III. Presto - Pesante (Revised 1913) 07:00
• 4 Atterberg: Symphony No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 3: IV. Adagio - Allegro energico (Revised 1913) 11:31
• Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 20, "Sinfonia funebre":
• 5 Atterberg: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 20, "Sinfonia funebre": I. Pesante allegro - Molto più mosso (Revised 1947) 07:30
• 6 Atterberg: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 20, "Sinfonia funebre": II. Lento (Revised 1947) 06:34
• 7 Atterberg: Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 20, "Sinfonia funebre": III. Allegro molto - Tempo vivo (Revised 1947) 12:21
• Total Runtime 01:03:15

Info for Atterberg: Symphony No. 1 & Symphony No. 5

Neeme Järvi and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra continue their Atterberg survey with this third volume of symphonies. Atterberg’s music will be in the spotlight this summer with the celebration surveying Nordic composers Nielsen and Sibelius.

Atterberg sent the first three completed movements of his Symphony No. 1 to Stockholm’s Royal Academy, seeking a scholarship in order to travel to several cities in Germany to attend musical performances. When he came back he added a finale with an introductory Adagio in which he, as it were, ‘reminded’ himself of what he had already composed. The first performance of the symphony, in 1912 – also Atterberg’s first concert as a conductor – was warmly welcomed although the work was thought very modern; six months later it became the first of Atterberg’s works to be played abroad.

Atterberg also conducted the premiere of his Symphony No. 5, which gets its title ‘Funebre’ from the slow, tragic second movement, particularly an elegiac motive in the first theme. The movement is a sort of lament over his unaccomplished early dreams and hopes. Atterberg made several revisions to this work, even rewriting the last movement twenty-five years later, and it is the revised version that has been recorded here.

"...This is another winning addition to the Atterberg discography; strongly recommended." (Jerry Dubins, Fanfare)

“… the First Symphony is a rewarding listen, especially in this full-blooded account from the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, and Neemi Järvi has the measure of the composer’s style … The Gothenburg Symphony orchestra bring out it [Fifth, Sinfonia funebre] wild moods beautifully …” (Guy Rickards, Gramophone)

Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Neeme Järvi, conductor

Neeme Järvi
The head of a musical dynasty, Neeme Järvi is one of today’s most highly respected maestros. He conducts the world’s most prominent orchestras and works alongside soloists of the highest calibre. A prolific recording artist, he has amassed a discography of nearly 500 recordings.

Over his long and highly successful career he has held positions with orchestras across the world. Last season he took up his tenure as Artistic and Music Director of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. He is also currently Artistic Director of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Emeritus of both the Residentie Orkest Netherland Hague and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He also holds the titles of Principal Conductor Emeritus of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Laureate of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

Recent and future seasons include engagements with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and Wiener Symphoniker, as well as the major orchestras in the USA, and regular engagements with the NHK and Singapore symphony orchestras. He also continues his regular relationships with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchetra, Swedesh National Orchestra of Gothenburg and the Royal Scottish National orchestras (for a number of recording and concert projects).

Highlights of an impressive discography include critically acclaimed complete symphony cycles of Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Richard Strauss, Mahler, Dvořak, Glazunov, Grieg, Sibelius, Nielsen and Brahms. Järvi has also championed less widely known composers such as Wilhelm Stenhammar, Hugo Alfvén and Niels Gade, Franz Berwald, Johann Svendsen and Johann Halvorsen of Norway and composers from his native Estonia, including Rudolf Tobias, Artur Kapp and Eduard Tubin. Throughout his career he has recorded with Chandos, Deutsche Grammophon, BIS and EMI amongst others.

Future releases on Chandos include Tchaikovsky’s complete ballets, Symphonies and orchestral Music by a Swiss Composer Joachim Raff. Also music by Massenet, Chabrier, Saint-Saëns, Suppé, Atterberg, Xaver, Scharwenka, etc. Neeme Järvi has been honoured with many international awards and accolades. From his native country these include an honorary doctorate from the Music and Theatre Academy and the Order of the National Coat of Arms from the President of the Republic of Estonia, Mr. Lennart Meri. The Mayor of Tallinn presented Maestro Järvi with the city’s first-ever ceremonial sash and coat of arms insignia, and he has been named one of the “Estonians of the Century”. Neeme Järvi holds an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters from Detroit’s Wayne State University and the University of Michigan, as well as honorary doctorates from the University of Aberdeen and the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. He has also received the Commander of the North Star Order from King Karl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

This album contains no booklet.