BO LINDE: Orchestral Works Vol. 3 = Pensieri sopra un cantico vecchio Op. 35; Symphony No. 1 Op. 1; Symphony No. 2 Op. 23 – Gävle Symphony Orchestra / Petter Sundkvist – Swedish Society

by | Jul 3, 2009 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews | 0 comments

BO LINDE: Orchestral Works Vol. 3 = Pensieri sopra un cantico vecchio Op. 35; Symphony No. 1 Op. 1; Symphony No. 2 Op. 23 – Gävle Symphony Orchestra / Petter Sundkvist – Swedish Society multichannel SACD SSACD 1133, 58:12 – Performance ****1/2: Sound ****1/2:

Bo Linde (1933-1970) died at the tragically early age of just 37. Born in Gävle, he became a composition student of Lars-Erik Larsson in 1948 at Stockholm’s Academy of Music. His first piano concerto was one of the pieces he provided with his application to the Academy; he was also a very fine pianist, but rejected a career as a concert artist in favour of composition.

The label Swedish Society Discofil has released over the past few years three volumes of Bo Linde’s orchestral works. This third volume has his early Symphony No.1, (Sinfonia Fantasia Op.1) written in 1951 and completed just before the composer’s 19th birthday. Linde admired the works of Benjamin Britten enormously, both those for orchestra, and those where the result was a mix of music and poetry. Linde’s output is thoroughly tonal, and his early works already show complete mastery of orchestration, and a sound grasp of architecture and structure. This symphony does not follow the traditional four-movement structure, hence his title “Fantasia”, and the contrasts between episodes of great power and other more thoughtful are striking. There is something of the sea in this work, reminding this listener of the Peter Grimes Interludes. The Gävle Symphony Orchestra’s tympanist is given plenty to do.

The Second Symphony dates from 1960 and was sponsored by and dedicated to the Lions Club of Gävle. This sponsorship allowed the composer, his wife and young son, Ulf, to return to live in Gävle in a house of their own. The first movement opens portentously with a hint of Britten’s Sinfonia da Requiem, followed by some lovely writing for cello. In fact, Linde’s Cello Concerto written in 1965 is a very fine work, well worth exploring. The second movement, a toccata, with an instruction to be played with anger, is a tour de force to which the very fine Gävle orchestra rises impressively. The last movement is lighter in mood and texture, the conclusion thoughtful.

Pensieri sopra un cantico vecchio – first performed by the Gävle Symphony Orchestra on Linde’s 35th birthday in 1968 – is based on a 16th century carol “Es ist ein Ros ensprungen” which Linde threads through the piece a bit at a time, hiding the theme far, far more than Vaughan Williams did in the Tallis Fantasia.

The other two volumes released so far are also well worth investigating; thus far I imagine his cello and violin concertos are pinnacle of his achievement, and I hope the next volume will appear before too long.

The Gävle Symphony Orchestra has a very fine group of musicians and Petter Sundqvist directs the proceedings with obvious affection for their local composer. This fine, very approachable music has been recorded superbly, the acoustics of the fairly recently built concert hall no doubt assisting in achieving this. This project deserves every success.

Earlier volumes in this series:

BO LINDE: Orchestral Works, Vol. 1; Violin Concerto op. 18 & Cello Concerto op. 29; Karen Gomyo, violin; Maria Kliegel, cello Gävle Symfoniorkester /Petter Sundkvist (SSACD 1131)

BO LINDE: Orchestral Works Vol. 2; A Merry Overture Op. 14; Musica Concertante Op. 27; Suite variée Op. 21; Suite Boulogne Op. 32; Gävle Symphony Orchestra /Petter Sundkvist (SSACD 1132)

— Peter Joelson

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