Wilhelm Peterson-Berger - The Doomsday Prophets (Ulf Söderblom)

Information

Composer: Wilhelm Peterson-Berger

1. Domedagsprofeterna, Act. I Scene 1 & 4: 'En fyrväppling .. '
2. Domedagsprofeterna, Act. I Scene 5: 'Elin ... '
3. Domedagsprofeterna, Act. I Scene 9 & 10: 'Nà, unge man ... '
4. Domedagsprofeterna, Act. I Scene 13: 'Jag minns väl. .. ' 
5. Domedagsprofeterna, Act. I Scene 15: 'Stor glädje sker mig nu ... '
6. Domedagsprofeterna, Act. I Scene 18-20: 'Aj, aj, aj, ... ' 
7. Domedagsprofeterna, Act II Scene 12 & 14: Intermezzo och fuga; 'Sá hava ... '
8. Domedagsprofeterna, Act III Scene 2: 'Larsl, Lars!. .. ' 
9. Domedagsprofeterna, Act III Scene 9 & 10: '0 Gud ... '
10. Domedagsprofeterna, Act III Scene 11: 'Eders majestät...'  

Mikael Samuelson; Solveig Faringer; Thomas Sunnegårdh

Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Ulf Söderblom, conductor

Recorded: 1984

Released: 2006

Label: Sterling

http://www.sterlingcd.com/catalogue/cdo1069.html

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Review

The five Peterson-Berger operas were distributed evenly across his life with the first - Sveagaldrar - written in 1897 and the last - Adils and Elisif - in 1927. Fame during his lifetime was attributable to his music criticism which was as ferocious as that of his countryman, fellow dramatist and symphonist, Kurt Atterberg. He wrote Domedagsprofeterna between 1912 and 1917 for most of which period the Great War raged in the rest of Europe. Amid the ritual humiliations of first year students the backdrop to the opera is the Thirty Years War and, in the foreground there are the perils and pleasures of two couples whose ultimate happiness crowns act III.

 

It is to be expected of any Sterling production that every aspect will be exemplary. Making allowance for the inherently unsatisfactory nature of any excerpts project everything here is just as it should be. The excerpts are generous. Technically there is no need for reservations about this being derived from a 22 year old radio recording. The occasional end-track fade-downs are regrettable but once the project was fixed to be on a single CD what else could practically have been done? I should also add that the plot is aided by the use of aural effects including the sound of a table being laid, knocking at a door and a thunderclap. Voices are intimately recorded close up to the listener - a delightful feature given the well chosen voices for Elin and Klas.

 

Scene 1 immediately introduces the listener to this composer’s translucent scoring. In those first few moment Peterson-Berger accelerates from solo dialogue into music that is light on the palate with waltz elements integrated into the orchestral skein. At one moment this is close to Lehár; to the beguiling banter of Rosenkavalier at others. The flow tends to be driven by the conversation rather than by the music. The composer's mastery of blithe writing and translucent orchestration is well exemplified by Act I sc. 13 with its delightful repartee - musical, conversational and sensuous - between the trio of Fru Skytte, Lennart and Gorval. Real excitement is generated in the encounter at the inn (Act I sc. 18), a crowd scene in which Lars terrifies the students with a pistol.

 

Two scenes are extracted from act II. Scene 12 sets out a gently pastoral wind serenade capturing the coolness of early evening. This develops into a fugal fantasy. There is carefree Sibelian writing for Elin in Act II at 14:12. The last Act is represented by scenes 2 and 9-11. This includes joyous student singing typical of the Swedish choral idyll tradition (tr. 8 2:02). Scene 9 mixes grand serious music with slightly absurd trumpeted ceremonials and student songs in the manner of Gaudeamus Igitur. Finally the fable is rounded out with scene 11 of act III. In this the writing radiates a blessed happiness that looks to the Same atnam symphony. Two couples are engaged and the proceedings are wreathed in smiles but not before a faintly absurd little march. The chorus sing in praise of the aspiring youthful queen and 'New life, new soul, new blood in Sweden.' All is well - a beautiful tale comes to its well harvested rest. As for the ‘Doomsday Prophets’: they are the ones who predict the end of the world; one of their chosen dates is the day after the first act ends. Such Armageddon is refuted by the delights of act III.

 

There are full background notes and synopsis by Stig Jakobson as well as the sung text in Swedish and translation to English.

 

All credit to Bo Hyttner - who is Sterling - for this valuable entry to the lists. Here, in addition to carrying the responsibility and praise for this production, he translated the texts into English and in his usual capacity as Executive Producer was no doubt involved in extensive negotiations with Swedish Radio and the host of other IPR holders.

 

-- Rob Barnett, MusicWeb International

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Wilhelm Peterson-Berger (27 February 1867, Ullånger, Ångermanland – 3 December 1942, Östersund) was a Swedish composer and music critic. As a composer, his main musical influences were Grieg, August Söderman and Wagner as well as Swedish folk idiom. He is best known for three albums of national romantic piano pieces (Frösöblomster I, II, III), which were composed over a period of 18 years (1896-1914). His other works include five symphonies, four operas and about eighty songs. His songs for vocal ensemble are also still regularly performed, and are part of the core repertoire of Swedish choirs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Peterson-Berger

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Ulf Arne Söderblom (5 February 1930 – 4 February 2016) was a Finnish conductor and music professor. He was the principal conductor of the Finnish National Opera from 1973 to 1993.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulf_S%C3%B6derblom

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