Alfvén began his Symphony No. 3 in 1905 while in Sori Ligure, Italy, following a tradition of Nordic artists seeking inspiration in the sun.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Alfvén saw music mostly in color, deriving satisfaction from writing sounds that would produce the effect of "gold, silver and pink" in his compositions.
Composition History
Alfvén's Swedish Rhapsody No. 3, "Dalecarlian Rhapsody," was inspired by the landscape of Lake Orsa and built upon folk music from the parishes north of Lake Siljan, particularly Orsa.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Alfvén described his Symphony No. 3 as a "hymn to joy," stating he lived from "inner, spiritualised joy as never before in my life" during its creation.
Composer's Artistic Vision
For his ballet The Prodigal Son, Alfvén aimed to blend genuine folk music with his own free composition, making it difficult to distinguish between the two.
Composition History
The Symphony No. 3 was completed in Denmark in 1906, inspired by Alfvén's love for Maria, the wife of Danish painter Peter Severin Kroyer.
Composer Biography
Hugo Alfvén, the composer, was a versatile artist, known not only as a composer but also as a watercolor painter and a writer with a flourishing style.
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