Scandinavian Cello Concertos on CD

I use 'Concerto' loosely to cover any substantial Concertante piece featuring the cello. We've covered the Baltic country Concerti in the 'Russian/Soviet' thread, so by 'Scandinavian' I mean works originating in the countries of Norway (N), Sweden (S), Finland (F), Denmark (D), and Iceland (I).

Asger Hamerik (D) - 1878(Romance) (Classico, Danacord) Emil Hartmann (D) - 1879(Concerto) (Classico, Danacord) Franz Neruda (D) - 1887(Concerto No.2) (Classico) Kurt Atterberg (S) - 1917-22(Concerto) (Koch) Gustav Helsted (D) - 1919(Concerto) (Danacord) Siegfried Salomon (D) - 1922(Concerto) (Classico) Aarre Merikanto (F) - 1926(Concert Piece), 1941-44(Concerto No.2) (Finlandia, Ondine) Harald Saeverud (N) - 1931,rev.1950's(Concerto) (BIS) Uuno Klami (F) - 1931(Cheremissian Fantasy), 1954(Theme & Variations) (Finlandia, BIS) Gosta Nystroem (S) - 1944(Sinfonia Concertante) (Swedish Societ, BIS) Herman Koppel (D) - 1952-56(Concerto) (BIS) Einar Englund (F) - 1954(Concerto) (Ondine) Lars Erik Larsson (S) - 1955-57(Concertino) (Intim, BIS) Klaus Egge (N) - 1966(Concerto) (Aurora) Einojuhani Rautavaara (F) - 1968(Concerto) (Ondine) Joonas Kokkonen (F) - 1969(Concerto) (Finlandia, BIS) Vagn Holmboe (D) - 1974(Concerto) (BIS) Aulis Sallinen (F) - 1976(Concerto) (Finlandia) Arne Nordheim (N) - 1982('Tenebrae' (Aurora) Jon Nordal (I) - 1983(Concerto) (ITM) Vladimir Agopov (F) - 1984('Tres Viae' (Finlandia) Gunnar de Frumerie (S) - 1984(Concerto) (Caprice) Kalevi Aho (F) - 1984(Concerto) (BIS) Per Norgaard (D) - 1985('Between' (DaCapo) Pehr Nordgren (F) - 1987('Hate-Love', 1992(Concerto No.3) (Ondine, Finlandia) Ib Norholm (D) - 1989(Concerto) (Kontrapunkt) Jan Maegaard (D) - 1992(Concerto) (Danacord) Poul Ruders (D) - 1993(Concerto No.2 'Anima' (Bridge) Henning Wellejus (D) - 1994(Concerto) (DaCapo) Ollie Mustonen (F) - 1996('Petite Suite' (Ondine) Magnus Lindberg (S) - 1998(Concerto) (Sony) Mats Larsson Gothe (S) - 1999(Concerto) (BIS)

One might also mention the recent orchestration for Cello & Orchestra of Edvard Grieg's Cello Sonata issued on Black Box.

I'm counting on Eric and others to complete the list.

Dag Wiren (S) - 1936(Concerto) (Caprice, Phono Suecia)

Eklund and Sandstrom are/were somewhat avant-garde figures, weren't they? I'm unfamiliar with their Cello Concerti, and wondering what the style might be?

<< > Eklund and Sandstrom are/were somewhat avant-garde figures, weren't

I would dub Eklund as beeing rather post romantic; >>

Yes, and not terribly adventurous post romantic. At least, not based on his excellent, dramatic 'Requiem' (on a Phono Suecia CD).

His Violin Concerto is so exceptional, that I've often wondered about Lars Erik Larsson's Cello Concerto (not the Concertino). Much Larsson has been recorded, but apparently not this piece AFAIK. Ever heard it performed, or have any tidbits of information/insight about it?

Another Danish work is:

Bo Holten - 1986(Sinfonia Concertante) (Chandos)

Svend Hvidtfelt Nielsen (b.1958)(D) - Sinfonia concertante (Da Capo)

Nice CD, comes with his 'Carillons' and 'Nightfall' - rather conservative but good listening.

Cheers,

Marcus Maroney marcus dot maroney at yale dot edu

Ruders' first cello concerto 'Polydrama' (1988) was on a Unicorn-Kanchana CD released 1991- it's still one of the few works of his I've heard. Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen's For Cello and Orchestra (1994-96) is on a DaCapo CD. (Danish composer, I believe.) (Morton Zeuthen cellist in both works.) Eric Schissel

Something I should have included with Sallinen's Concerto above is his Chamber Music III 'The Nocturnal Dances of Don Juanquixote' - in substance another Cello Concerto - issued on Naxos (Ondine?).

Another Norwegian work is the Cello Concerto of Ragnar Soderlind (b.1945), I believe written in the 90's, issued on Aurora (available from MDT).

There's Lidholm's (S, I believe?) Greetings from an old world : 1976 (BIS, Chandos.) (Several other works- Holewa's concerti and preludes for cello, Hallnas' concerto, Bortz's concerto, Haglund's- may be available only on LP or broadcast.) Eric Schissel