Erland von Koch: Symphony No. 3, Op. 38 & Symphony No. 4, Op. 51 Sinfonia seria Sveriges Radios Symfoniorkester & Per Hammarström

• 1 I. Allegro moderato 07:15
• 2 II. Adagio espressivo 07:58
• 3 III. Allegro agitato 08:04
• 4 I. Andante - Quasi presto - Andante 05:21
• 5 II. Moderato 07:38
• 6 III. Allegro 07:15
• 7 Impulsi-trilogin (Impulsi Trilogy): Impulsi 11:17
• 8 Nordiskt capriccio (Nordic Capriccio), Op. 26 06:21
• Total Runtime 01:01:09

Info for Erland von Koch: Symphony No. 3, Op. 38 & Symphony No. 4, Op. 51 Sinfonia seria

During a long and active life Erland von Koch (1910-2009) became one of Sweden’s best-loved composers, describing his artistic goals as follows: ‘I aim for a simple, clear, melodic style, often with elements of folk tone and with a definite rhythmic profile... The older you get, the more aware you become of the importance of melody.’ One of von Koch’s most frequently performed orchestral works is Nordiskt capriccio, which was inspired by a folk tune from Dalecarlia, and which forms the festive finale on the present disc. The compositions which precede it are less well known. They include Impulsi (the first part of a triptych later completed with the works Echi and Ritmi) whilst the two symphonies 3 and 4 appear for the first time on disc. In Symphony No. 3, influences from Bartók and Hindemith can be detected; composed in 1948, it is a work which in its thematic material contrasts defiance with lyricism and, finally, a feeling of release. Sinfonia seria, von Koch’s fourth work in the genre, followed a few years later, undergoing a final revision in 1962. As indicated by the title, the underlying mood of the work is grave and bittersweet. With this disc, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Per Hammarström are making their case for a hoped for, and long overdue ‘discovery’ of Erland von Koch’s symphonies.

Sveriges Radios Symfoniorkester
Per Hammarström, conductor

Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 1936, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra has over the years en- joyed important partnerships with principal conductors including Sergiu Celibidache, Herbert Blomstedt and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Today it ranks among the world’s great orchestras, and is under the leadership of Daniel Harding, its current music director, earning accolades as one of the most interesting and versatile ensembles of its kind. The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra frequently tours worldwide, receiving invitations from major international festivals and concert halls. At home in Stockholm’s Berwald Hall, it is furthermore the resident ensemble and artistic backbone of the annual Baltic Sea Festival. Through innovative collaborations with leading conductors, soloists and composers, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra embodies the role of a symphony orchestra for the twenty-first century. As well as making its mark with established repertoire, the orchestra is committed to playing and recording contemporary music and regularly commissions works by Swedish and international composers.

Per Hammarström
received his training as a conductor at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, where his teachers included Jorma Panula and Paul Mägi. He gave his diploma concert with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2007 and since then has conducted most of the Swedish orchestras, including the Gävle, Norrköping and Helsingborg Symphony Orchestras, the NorrlandsOpera Symphony Orchestra in Umeå, the Nordic Chamber Orchestra, Musica Vitae and the Jönköping Sinfonietta. He is a prizewinner in Svenska dirigentpriset, a Swedish competition for conductors. In 2009 he was appointed assistant conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducting the orchestra in concert as well as on radio and television recordings. Per Hammarström also trained as a violinist at Edsberg Manor in Stockholm and the Royal College of Music in London, joining the first violins of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1997. The present recording is his first disc as a conductor.

Booklet for Erland von Koch: Symphony No. 3, Op. 38 & Symphony No. 4, Op. 51 Sinfonia seria