Hugo Alfvén was primarily a violinist, not a pianist, but he studied piano and always composed at his own piano.
Composition History
The song 'Så tag mit hjerte' is Hugo Alfvén's most frequently performed solo song, composed in his home in Tibble while he was writing his memoirs.
Interpretation
The performers, Elin Rombo (soprano) and Peter Friis Johansson (piano), chose works that would have been heard in Alfvén's home during his lifetime, focusing on pieces composed in or linked to Leksand.
Compositional Technique
Alfvén's piano pieces, such as 'Fyra låtar från Leksand', are not mere arrangements of folk tunes but independent pieces where he put his own mark on the melodies, moving beyond Romantic deference for folk music.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in Alfvéngården, Hugo Alfvén's home in Leksand, Sweden, where he lived from 1945 until his death in 1960.
Instruments
The recording features Hugo Alfvén's own Steinway Hamburg grand piano, model A-188, from around 1908, which was shipped to Stockholm in 1910.
Performer Biography
Soprano Elin Rombo was appointed court singer by the King of Sweden in 2013 and received the Royal medal Litteris et Artibus in 2016.
