Alfvén
Alfvén
Genres: Classical
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About Alfvén
Hugo Emil Alfvén (May 1, 1872 – May 8, 1960) was a Swedish composer, conductor, violinist, and painter. Alfvén became known as one of Sweden's principal composers, together with Wilhelm Stenhammar. Alfvén's music is in a late-Romantic idiom. His orchestration is skillful and colorful, reminiscent of that of Richard Strauss. Like Strauss, Alfvén wrote a considerable amount of programmatic music. Some of Alfvén's music evokes the landscape of Sweden. Among his works are a large number of pieces for male voice choir, five symphonies and three orchestral "Swedish Rhapsodies." The first of these rhapsodies, Midsommarvaka is his best known piece. Alfvén's five symphonies, the first four of them now several-times recorded (with another cycle in progress), give a picture of the composer's musical progress. The first, his opus 7 from 1897, is an early F minor work, tuneful in a standard four movements. The second (1898-9), his opus 11 (and in a way his graduation piece, as interestingly recounted ) in D major concludes with a substantial, even powerful chorale-prelude and fugue in D minor. The third symphony (1905) opus 23 in E major, also in four movements, more mature in technique though light in manner was inspired by a trip to Italy. The fourth symphony in C minor of 1918-9 - opus 39, From the Outermost Skerries (there is also a tone-poem, A Legend of the Skerries) — is a symphony in one forty-five minute movement using wordless voices, inspired by Carl Nielsen's Sinfonia Espansiva. The 5th in A minor, begun 1942 is one of the composer's last works, and has only been recorded twice in full (recordings and performances of the 5th while rare enough, are usually of its quarter-hour first movement). The first rhapsody - Swedish Rhapsody No.1, also known as Midsommarvaka (Midsummer Vigil) - was written in 1903 and often simply called the "Swedish Rhapsody" is the best known piece composed by Hugo Alfvén, and also one of the best known pieces of music in Sweden. There are several pop culture references to the main theme of Alfvén's "Swedish Rhapsody No.1": It was arranged and recorded as a fingerstyle guitar solo in 1957 by American guitarist Chet Atkins, and became one of Atkins best-known recordings. The solo is also featured on Deep Purple's classical live album "Made in Japan" (1972) where the guitarist Ritchie Blackmore plays it in his solo on the song "Lazy". The original version of a popular song "Mah Nà Mah Nà" interpolates its melody.
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