Hakon BØRRESEN (1876-1954)
Symphony No. 1 (1901) [32:38]
Violin Concerto (1904) [39:06]
Rebecca Hirsch (violin)
Aalborg Symphony Orchestra/Owain Arwel Hughes
rec. Aalborg, Denmark, 1996
DACAPO 8.224059 [71:48]
Hakon BØRRESEN (1876-1954)
Symphony No. 2 The Sea (1904) [41:16]
Symphony No. 3 (1927) [34:28]
Aalborg Symphony Orchestra/Owain Arwel Hughes
rec. Aalborg, Denmark, 1997
DACAPO 8.224061 [76:09]
Børresen, a Danish composer, sported a Norwegian name. This was down
to his Norwegian grandfather who moved to Denmark in the early 1800s. Young
Børresen was taught by Svendsen and travelled in Europe during the early
1900s. His violin concerto was given at one of Nikisch’s concerts. There
are three symphonies to his name and all are here. His most famous work is
probably the opera The Royal Guest although its reputation and Børresen's
has been largely restricted to Denmark and perhaps Germany.
These two Dacapo discs are very well filled - important with rare repertoire.
The sound quality is fine and natural with no excesses. Notes for both by Nils
Dittmer and are suitably encyclopaedic. I was surprised that they were in English
and German only. Where is the Danish? I know German is the second language
in Denmark but still wondered why the first language was not here. As with
the now defunct Franco/Belgian Patrimoine series (from the Naxos fold) these
discs are issued in Danish only versions in Denmark but at budget price: Violin
Concerto and Symphony 1 8.554950; Symphonies 2 and 3 8.554951.
I knew the symphonies 2 and 3 originally from radio broadcast tapes as well
(in the case of the Second Symphony) the
old Danacord LPs since transferred to CD. These last two symphonies are,
perhaps, in spirit, a Danish counterpart of Dvořák’s earlier
symphonies up to number six. His First Symphony is from a different world altogether.
The Violin Concerto (1904) dates from the same year as the Second Symphony.
The first of the three movements is nearly a quarter of an hour long. In a
striking theatrical gesture after the opening serious flourishes the violin
begins a capricious theme out of a silence of several bars. At 9:27 a warm
theme emerges from the accompanying strings and resurfaces at 12:25. The middle
Adagio sings quietly without being wildly distinctive. The last movement has
its fireworks but this is no empty Paganinian display. Shuddering strings and
some drama mark out the movement. Overall this is a work of delicacy, warmth
and charm. The Dvořák concerto is a counterpart. It radiates the
same largely carefree character.
Make no mistake this work has some extremely attractive moments and is well
worth hearing. It has quite a strong profile though written, I would imagine,
under the thrall of the Tchaikovsky concerto. The soloist is clearly prepared
to try out-of-the-way repertoire as she was also the soloist, a several decades
ago, in a BBC revival of the Rawsthorne Second Violin Concerto which she has
since recorded on Naxos with
the First. The Børresen is the sort of work that belongs in Hyperion’s
Romantic Violin Concerto series alongside the Schoeck, Ivanovs and Bortkiewicz
concertos.
Børresen was only 24 when he wrote the Symphony No. 1 (1901). The first
movement alternates darkness with a certain bright intensity usually allocated
to the strings. According to the always excellent programme notes, Børresen
had heard Svendsen conduct the famous three Tchaikovsky symphonies as well
as the Sibelius First before he wrote this symphony. This is gorgeous music
- heavily derivative maybe but evidently written with a driving young ambition
and impulse which his two later symphonies lack. Listen to the glowering sunrise
effect at 7:40 Track 4 - wonderfully sustained. Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony
can be heard in the second movement - allegretto. The third movement opens
happily with chirping woodwind and a relaxed urbane demeanour. The last movement,
while not consistently dramatic, has much drama about it and many stormy Tchaikovskian
moments. This is the one movement which Nikisch agreed to present in Leipzig
though Børresen refused wanting the whole symphony or nothing.
In 1953, the year before his death, Børresen added a note to the score
saying that the second movement could still be played but ‘but hardly
the symphony as a whole’. I am glad that we have heard this symphony
and that we and future generations can enjoy it easily again. The music is
sincere and the fact that it inhabits a sound-world borrowed very heavily from
late Tchaikovsky and very occasionally early Sibelius should not in itself
inhibit our enjoyment … and there is much to enjoy here (try 9:50 to
the end of Track 8).
The Symphony No. 2 The Sea (1904) is written in a style not far away
from Mendelssohn, Brahms and Schumann but with Tchaikovskian moments. Scandinavian
marine symphonies are not uncommon. There are oceanic essays by Nystroem, Atterburg
(West Coast Pictures) and Alfvén amongst others. Børresen
was fascinated by the sea but vivid sea painting such as you find in Bax’s Tintagel and
Nystroem’s Sinfonia del Mare are outside his grasp. This is more
in the nature of Rubinstein’s Ocean Symphony.
The first movement (Surf) declares a work firmly rooted in German romantics
with occasional glimpses towards the Slavs. The second (Summer) begins
in chirpy Mendelssohnian spirits and has some fine romantic moments not least
at Track 2 5:20. There is a lively balletic spirit here. The third movement
(Tragedy) has a strong atmosphere leaning into the territory of Tchaikovsky’s Manfred.
I get the impression that this could benefit from a fleeter approach to tempi;
instead it leans towards steady intensity. The last movement (Cruising)
has a gentle serenade nature to it at times but there is some more ‘sturm
und drang’ with good work for both strings and horns. The onward coursing
theme at 7:30 on track 4 is a fine inspiration. There are at least two other
recordings including one on CPO and another on Danacord. The latter is a historic
performance of great intensity. Perhaps a few more volts in the present recording
would have helped.
The first of the four movements encompasses almost half the Symphony No. 3
(1927). It opens darkly and soon (04.00) passes through some Elgarian moments
into a restful interlude. There is more complexity here but the colours and
sounds seem more Børresen’s own. It is still perfectly tuneful
with romantically aspiring horns at 6:40. At 7:36 a great black chasm opens
up - one of the strongest moments in both discs. The movement ends with great
nobility for horns and strings. Brass and strings conspire in a Schumann-like
peroration. The two central movements are no longer than 8 minutes in total.
The adagio is very attractive with a lovely fade by the violins to close. The
third movement has the air of a graceful dance or an open-air coach-ride with
Dvořákian woodland moments. The last movement has more snap and
crackle about it and more dramatic depth though heaven-storming climaxes are
not his style: colour, fine orchestral touches and detailing aplenty. The symphony
ends in an atmosphere of joyously innocent celebration.
There is much to charm in the last two symphonies. After hearing these discs
you can be forgiven for assuming that Børresen was more at home with
songful serenading rather than high-tension romantics - more Gade than Sibelius.
Definitely worth hearing - though not an edge-of-seat listening experience.
Congratulations to the Børresen Estate, Dacapo, Marco Polo, the orchestra
and Owain Arwel Hughes for making this available.
If you must go for one disc alone try the First Symphony and the Concerto.
Now we must hope for a complete recording of Børresen’s Greenland
opera Kaddara (1921). If it is anything like its most famous aria Ujarak’s
Farewell it will be well worth hearing. If you are looking for an alternative
recording of the last two symphonies then go for the CPO
CD conducted by Ole Schmidt. His opera, The Royal Guest is also
on Dacapo and
has been reviewed here.
Rob Barnett