Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Till Norrköping! (leider nicht nach Freiberg)

Believe it or not, there are two huge Pettersson events taking place over the next few days (3-6 November). One of them is the performance of the Symphony No. 6 in Norrköping and Linnköping under the direction of Christian Lindberg, and the other is a absolute Pettersson-lover's dream of performances and lectures in Freiberg (not Freiburg), Germany.

Although one should be eternally grateful that there are Pettersson events at all this year, let alone multiple events at the same time, I cannot help but feel like it has been a terrible misalignment of the stars that these two programs overlap and I have to pick one over the other (I suppose I'm spoiled enough to be able to go to either!). Considering the relative ease for me to go to Norrköping and how the Symphony No. 6 really has a special place in my heart, I have decided to go to Sweden. However, I really wish I could go to Germany for that excellent program. 

Nevertheless, I am eagerly awaiting tomorrow night's performance and I will write back here with my thoughts as soon as I can!

6 comments:

  1. I am deeply honoured that You come to Norrköping! The orchestra is doing an absolutely gorgeous work with the piece, and it is an absolute dream to conduct this masterpiece!!
    Christian Lindberg

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  2. Is the above comment for real? Let's hope that the masterpiece (for that is what it is) will be recorded. Dare I ask for a confirmation of this?

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  3. I am pretty sure CL actually visited this blog and left that comment. As I will mention in my next post, before performing the symphony CL addressed the audience, in English, and said how he has been reading the blogs and someone has made the tough decision to come to Norrköping instead of Freiberg! :) If you look at CL's website you will see that there are plans for recording this work as well.

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  4. Well, Christian Lindberg and the splendid Norrkoping SO were outstanding, to my mind. I still haven't worked out the timings of Kamu 52 minutes, Trojhan 60 minutes, Lindberg 60 minutes. I don't have the score and don't understand how Kamu cuts off those 8 minutes.
    Well done, Christian Lindberg! I'm sure that his admirably clear conducting style helped the audiences to grasp the work. I look forward to seeing him with the Liverpool Phil next year. Such enthusiasm and communication skills! What great shirts he wore! Chatting to the audience in his gold and blue-spotted shirts! Cool or what??!!

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  5. Thank You so much Derek!! I can explain the differences of timing: It is really difficult to keep the slow tempi indicated by Pettersson in this symphony, but in my opinion necessary, particularly in the magic ending. If you follow them strictly, this means that to get precision You need to conduct many bars in four, otherwise, particularly towards the end, the orchestra tends to shorten the really long long phrases. Kamu made a wonderful interpretation for that time, but if You really intend to keep Pettersson's slow tempi, 70 and 60 on half notes, then You are bound to end up with an interpretation of at least 60 mihutes!
    Christian Lindberg

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  6. Thank you both Derek and Christian for this excellent discussion! Derek, we should have tried to meet each other in Norrköping! Hopefully I'll see you at the next Pettersson performance somewhere, maybe in Norrköping for the performance of the 9th?

    Comparing the Kamu and Trojahn recordings, I would take the Kamu hands down any day. Pettersson himself indicates a timing of 54-56 minutes, which Kamu observes, but I also take Christian's word that following Pettersson's slow tempi one ends up with a performance of at least 60 minutes. When I read on Christian's facebook that the Norrköping performances would be over 60 minutes, I was worried, because I find that Trojahn sometimes gives the impression of the music dragging at his tempos.

    Were the Norrköping performances really over 60 minutes? It didn't seem that way. Another big thanks to Christian then, for finding an interpretation which is convincing but also observes Pettersson's tempi. I cannot wait for the recording!

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