Atterberg: Cello Concerto / Brahms: String Sextet No. 2 (Arr. for String Orchestra)

Featuring

Kristjan Järvi
Truls Mørk
Symphony Orchestra of Norrlands Opera
Kurt Magnus Atterberg
Johannes Brahms

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Critical Reception

At the premiere of his Cello Concerto, the soloist Hans Bottermund composed his own 'inordinately long' cadenza, which Atterberg believed contributed to critics finding the work 'overly long'.

Notable Performances

The true premiere of Atterberg's Cello Concerto was prestigious, with the composer himself conducting the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra on January 6, 1923.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Atterberg aimed for maximum clarity in his compositions, ensuring that important themes or solo instruments were always audible, even with colorful orchestration.

Instruments

Truls Mørk, the cellist on this recording, plays a rare Domenico Montagnana cello from 1723, purchased for him by SR Bank in Norway.

Composer Biography

Kurt Atterberg, the composer of the Cello Concerto and the arranger of the Brahms String Sextet, was considered the leading Swedish composer of his generation and had significant influence on Swedish musical life.

Composer Biography

Atterberg worked full-time at the Swedish Patent Office for 56 years while also composing a succession of ambitious works.

Composition History

The Cello Concerto and the Fifth Symphony, Sinfonia funebre, were both started around 1917, but their composition was notably slow and difficult for Atterberg.