Karl-Birger BLOMDAHL (1916-68)
(1) Sisyphos: Dance with Death; Dance of Life
(1954)
(2) Chamber Concerto (1950)
(3) Symphony No 3 Facetter (1950)
Trio for clarinet, cello and piano (1955)
(1) Royal Orchestra,
Stockholm/Varujian Kojian
(2) Hans Leygraf (piano), London SO/Sixten Ehrling
(3) Stockholm PO/Sixten Ehrling
Thore Jansen (Cl), Erling Bløndahl Bengtsson (vc), Kjell Baekkelund
(piano)
all rec Stockholm 1957-79 (except Concerto, Kingsway Hall, London, Feb
1965)
SWEDISH SOCIETY DISCOFIL
SCD1037 [64.33]
The MAP disc, now under the Swedish Society Discofil label
(see review), is more generous in playing
time but covers only the orchestral Blomdahl. The present CD is the product
of scouring the Discofil vaults and the end result takes in a substantial
chamber work, a perspective on his dance music, a chamber concerto and his
trademark work, Facetter. The latter secured for Blomdahl an international
reputation although it seems to have been a flash in the pan. He was never
able to repeat that success on an international stage.
Sisyphos dances with the two great polar opposites. It represents
Blomdahl the tonally tart, dynamic Hindemith. The Chamber Concerto
reverberates with tom-toms and tributary influences traced back to
Stravinsky's Capriccio, to the works of
Martinö 's French years
and to Ibert. To the music's credit it is open textured but this does not
preclude a darker vein which recalls Frank Bridge's Phantasm taking
Scandinavian music further out along the dark underbelly. It has a gaunt
spareness which is akin to the symphonic works of Torbjorn Lunquist in its
voyage through the dark pools of the psyche - gripping also in its desperate
rhythmic charge.
Facetter was premiered at the Festival of the International Society
for Contemporary Music in Frankfurt in 1951. This is a more richly endowed
and harmonically juicy gloom than that found in the Concerto. However its
strengths lie in atmosphere rather than gripping melodic invention. The Trio
resounds to an allegro giocoso dwarf dance (hot from the realms of
Fritz Lang's Dr Mabuse), framed by a glum-toned shuddering nightmare and
a finale of deeply uncomfortable music.
Rob Barnett
Available in UK from Koch International
phone 020 8832 1800
fax 020 8832 1813
Also see the website: www.prophone.se
