Symphonies Numéros 3 5 et 11

Description

Hans Eklund belongs to the generation of Swedish composers from the 1950s, a generation that brought together strong individualities who distanced themselves from European avant-gardes. This is evidenced by the third of the thirteen symphonies, which opens this album. Completed in 1968, it draws aridly from nature and Swedish folklores. The rhythmic pulse is constant, organized by large vertical chords. This stylistic approach, this desire for both stark and biting dramatization, can be found in the works of Paul Hindemith and Morton Gould. The preservation of tonality, which hardly spares dissonances, reveals the composer’s deeply pessimistic character: “my despair for the future is infinite.” The eruptive nature of this music is reflected in Symphony No. 5 from 1977. The score is marked by the memory of World War II. The sounds are less compact than in the previous score. Three movements titled The Girl and Death, Dance of War, and Destruction are armed with a wealth of percussion. Eklund was inspired by the paintings of several artists, including Richard Bergh and Bengt Nordquist. These "hard" portraits exalt a hieratic music. The tensions between brass and strings are heightened even in grimacing dances. The orchestra and conductor convey these martial marches with both precision and commitment. Composed in 1995, Symphony No. 11 carries a force and expressive density in contrast to the ironic subtitle of the work, “piccola.” Based primarily on march rhythms, it propels a brassy and impactful energy that is reminiscent of some pages by Shostakovich. (Jean Dandrésy)