Petri Sakari, Gävle Symphony Orchestra - Franz Berwald: Tone Poems (2005)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 186 Mb | Total time: 55:24 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Naxos | # 8.555370 | Recorded: 2000
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 186 Mb | Total time: 55:24 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Naxos | # 8.555370 | Recorded: 2000
Franz Berwald’s four symphonies are becoming better known, but the shorter orchestral works hardly receive a mention, even though they are no less deserving. Though conservative in style (what can you expect from a composer born in 1796?), they belong to no particular “school” but have a distinctly Nordic quality thanks to Berwald’s fresh feeling for harmony and attractive woodwind writing. This comes through quite clearly in Reminiscence of the Norwegian Mountains, a lovely pastoral portrait in tones, and in Elfenspiel. Wetlauf (Foot-Race), subtitled “Etude for String Orchestra”, must rank among the more imaginative early works in the medium–but then all of this music is well worth hearing.