How shouid one reacl to thc idea of perfornring Stonhanrntar's [j ntajor sl.rnphorlv an(l tl]en rssurrg a recorciing of it? Ihe conrposer hinrsc,lf chosl to \!itlr(lraw tltc rvork for revision althou{ll tlt('first perlormance had ltecn well receivctl l here arr, ( \(,n suggcsli"n\ tlrrt h, r,'jIr t, rl tlr, ri rir1,l(rrrr lt has hou'cver ltcen tltampioncrl bl such inlcnlati()Dallv acclaimcd con(lucl()rsas Vaclav laliclt. Scrgirr (ionrissiona and Nocmc Jrirvi, who ltavt enLhusiastrcalll prcparecl sortlo of tlrf rare lrrrblic prrforrriart cs oltha'w()rk.1'lleb(,auticsofthes\n1l)llon\arfalsoonrl)hasizo(lil\or(.ltcstralrnusi<,iansu,hilslautli enceshavebeent-aptivatt'tl. i\rtcorclingslroulrllhlreforeltcjustifie<1.bothLoallorvasnlan\iisposs rble to cnj()l th. {'ork an(l t() givc llre nrusic a (on(rft('ol)portunil} t() conlbun(l tirc scr'ptics- }1an1 well known sorks in nrusical historl havc a cleceptivc lustre thcir glitt.r l)roduccs varii'(l roactions in clilfer<'nt iistencrs. In tho Srvldish s1nrphonic rel)fr1()jr( Stt'nhanrrnar's monullrenlal l.' r)rajor symplronyshineswilhparticuiarsplrDdour. \\r'r,anitlaflorcltolt,av0thisworkunplav(,(1. (lomposer, pianist ancl conductor, IVILHIILNI STEi\HAllitAR harl b1 thc br:ginning ()f ll)e cfDtrrr\' bcconlt. one of Scandinavia s leading Iriusical figures. Ilis tlebul iit a larger iontcxt took pracr rn Stt>ckholttt in 1E92, $'here hc featurecl as conrl)os('r and pialo sol()ist in !arious (onccrts. i.'i,rsr,,r, \'earsoncsuccessfollolvcdatlother.'llre ltNtpiatt()t()tltt,rl() wr.\l)('r1()rntc(laltroarl,uiLhstcnlratrtntar itinself as soloist, bl the Bcrlin C)pera OrchcsLra Lurrli'r Ilichiirtl Strauss and br the IlalleiOrcncslra ln flallcllesl€rr undcr llans Richler. I'hc llctlin I)hilhunronic pialorl tlre confcrl overturc. lj.r'rctsror.. ullder .\rthlr \ikisch. In Slvedt'n. rneaDshilr'. thr'.\ulin Quirfirl irlalerl StonltaDtDrar's first slring quartcts and singors performcd his earlv ronrancas. \\'orks that art'rcgarrJctl as je*els irr thl rre4sury oi'Srvcdish song. \Vhile stud5ing the piano in f:lt:rlin Stenhanrrnu carne into cor)tact sith (icrnranic rnusir'. *hich providcd a stimulus to his own lvofk. IJI th.'\\agr)orjan spirit lte sct Ibsen's carlv dfallla (;i1(1.11)o Solhoagu'hichu'spcrforntedinStutrgetar1(lIl('rlinas*rllrsinStuckht,lrrr. l'lrc1rrrr,,,l-rricjsrnol 'I'ltrce Ilrahnrs also left an impression on sucll sorks as St('nhiinlnlar's I'unlasits 1br piino Lll lhe conrplr:tion of his rtrusical clrarila 7ir/irrg i I 6gtl ), ho\r'ev(,r, SteDhan)nlar lratl ent0r.cl an arl jstic crisis. IIe Iclt far loo dellcn(lent on (lernranic rrlodcls but at the sanie tinro hr: rvas $arl ollnf\ trends incrcasingly rcnrolo frorn classicistrr Iie lllfrefor('c()ncentratcd his elfor.ts oll coll(,orts atr(l accepted art invitat.ion to l)cc()IlrecontluctorofLhc Ithillrarnronic Socict5 in Stockholnt. r\t this l){'ri()rl. Stenharnntar hitnsolf regartlccl IItrgo Alfven is the risin{ star in Succlish nrusit.. l)uring the seilson of 1900'01 he condu(tc(l at tlre Stockh()lnr Opera, but rt:lrainccl Irolt taking oll u Iull corducting job for some vcars until. i| 190;, he lvirs pt rsrrarletl to a(c('pL Lhe posl ()f artistic leacler of the C;otllenburg Slmphonl C)rchestra IIcre, in the coursc of tlre nert filteen 1,cars,he k'fl his distinctive inark on thc nrusical lifr of the citt - In tho autumn of 1902 Stenharnnrd returncd scriousll to composing. llle firstofhisnetr n)rJur works started to tak('shap.: ll1.' F lrrajor sSrnphon5. Iirr rvork wirs begun in Saltsjiibatlen orrtsirlt' Slockiloiltt and the orchestration \\'as c()nrl)l('l('(l tho lollo$ing \(rr rn rn ll,utDl!DL not iar froln thc place rvltcrc lte was soon to ltavc his lrlal()r lirl(l of ol)(,r:rti()lr: tlre olrl (l<>fhcnbLlrg ( ()lt(r,rt llall. 'lirr Stonhanrnlar's go()d lri{,nd .\ulin \\'as rosl)onsil)lc for a *t'li rch('arsod l)('rl()nlrance on Iclrall'of tlle Sto(kholnr (lon<r'rt Socictl iti l)r'ccmbor 190:l an(l a score \\'as pul in orrier lirr IIans llrcnr.r,r rn .\po( llj, aIur] llr!l (lt. \{urL s'u1,i,,, ll, rf,,rrrr,,lr'\ 'tI r,n,'sr,.,l ilrtt,',,.,t',:lr,r;rl \lril,lr,..l,I .\|cl so alter thc lirsl pcrlorrriance Stenhanirnar \\'ith(lrew his srrrrphonJ for rcvision. a trsk t() n'hich hc ncver had tiltt('to :rl)i)l! ltinrself unrescrvcdll. l)uring th('alrtLrnrn of 1ll0il he hiiti hearrl Sibelius's new l) nrajor stnrpilony anci bcen (luitf ovcrwhclrricd. Inrl)rossi()ns Ironl tlle latt('r rn()v((l histhoughtsinacluitodifferentclirectionfronrthatoftheI. niajors!nrl)ll()nvanclthefollolirrgvcars saw the elilcrgcnct' ol sketches for a nunrbcr ol new n)ajor rvorks; lhr. [,' rlajor st nrphol] nl('an\!hilc lat utrrt'viseci,cxccpt for a lerv srlall alterations nrade br tlrr'(,()llll)()s(,r wh() ar ()nc tirrrc consitirrorl the title ol ;\crtra' 'During"aperiociinltalyinl!|0Tlteinstcaclbegananorchestrillscrtttatlcitll"nrajoranrl.llll9lo,publishing tlle second lJlo\'('rllfrlt separatel)' Llnder lllphon) il]e well-known g til01or s) Dtptloll.\' was conrplele. stenhanrtlrar callc(l this lvork sinrpll"'s! opus31,' theii rvasno'inciicatiLnofitsbeing"s1mphon1"no2". llis$orkasartisliclerclerofthc (arrrongst other things, slenhanlrrar introducc(l nett rvorks (iothenburg orchestra gave ne\\'illtpulses 'lhc pressing. post try Nlahler'ancl llegerl !o that revision of tho l.- nrajor symphonl.no longcrseenle(l oi concluctor nrade consitlerable inroads on Stcnhamnrar's timc ancl thus left littlc chance 1or conlpos- givtl i.g. St,l^h"rrmur probably founcl it nrore stintulating to executc ncrv idem than to tlte li rrajor \':rclav sl,i.phony u n,,rt lt therefore renrained unplayed until after the conrposcr's tleath. 'ialich perfornred "hup".jt in Slockholm at tll. bcginnirg of 1931, iicorporaling sonre rrinor revtsrons ln orclrestration nraclc bl Stenhalnrrar hilllselI \\rhen \eenre Jiuvi becanre chicf conductor ()f thc (;()Lhctrl)urg Synrlthonl Orchcstra titlciclcntallr' give F nrajor sylnphonl-ancl it is this perfornlatlcc ;l-) !,ci1fs aftcr Stenharnnrarl, hc ws kecn to the thai hu bcen prcscned lor posteritl,. Our vies of Stenharrnrar's ntusical clevelopruent becolll.s morc the colnl)l.,tc. \\iren tliis ,1"",,i.1r,1,,,ri is sc'cn in historjcal perspective. it becolres casier to acc.'Pt of wagner, Biahrns and 13ruckne'r, fronl u'hotr thc strollgl! self critical stenhalnmar clear i1flue,nce -hinrself 'l'hc sirrplt: dircctness aId incrt':rs- had not ]'e1 liberated tvhen ther syrnphony rvas corttposecl. ecl formJl rofinenrent rtrore appar.nt in his liter orchestral works can alre'a<lybc found in the F nrajor sJ mphon!'. ' 'fire 'l'he hor.s pla! an inlportarlt rolc throughout and origillall]' donrinatccl the syntphottl. slorv introcluction io the first nlovemcnt is a rornance likc horn scxtct thai announces a frc(luentl] rccurr- ingrrotif.folloueclb]alegatointhestringswirichisalsofounclinthecoclaofthefinale. lhebasis of the moverrrcnt is sonata fornt. realjzed u'ith a rvoight and cncrgy remitliscent of llrahllrs. 'l'hc secontl nloventent is an elo(iac anclantc rvith a choralc_ljkc oboc nrelocly as lhe ttlain thclne 'I'he third lltoventent is a charrriing intennezzo, punctuate(i b] a trio scctioll, a dtliglltlulll drcanly clarinet trio rvhich nrust be regartlecl as a major bcauty of the slntphorll. I'hc extt'ncleci linale is a porverful rnovemerrt, s,ith an occasionally st()rDry pasage. particularll in the (levcloptnent section. ,\fter the recapituiation the peaceful atmosphere of lhc introductron re- turns in the coda beforo a brjef cresct'ndo leaclsto a conclucling fortissirno- irt THE GOTHENIIUITC SYNIPHONY OITCHES'IRA otrc ol lha oldcst in Scattditrutitt, tL'uslttutttlttl uon Ille l!)0,j. llithirt a sh.)rt pcrio(1, lltc.onlpos.r, l)ioilisL an(l ct)t1.luct()r, ll-il/rclrrl Sleri/tontntar orchestraaleadintposilliortirs<:andinauianntusitlife. JeartSiheliLtsdDdC./rlNiclserlttladelrequettt Tor.llattttandlssol'f)rtbrrtLuettcarricdonl.helradilion. l:rresloppearatlc(,scortclLtclingthcirouttruorlis.'i'lr" (!)/itrssiono, l,/trling att<l C'lnrles Dtt pii,t.iput contltrctors tn recenl Jcor$ hoLre been Srrgiu ^Si,tle'n guest tlte orcltestro irtt:lutlc Rrurto toil. Orhir fatttctus conrlutlrtrs ulio haue naLle app.arattccs uitlt 1)aui-^..Srr ll olter, ll'ilhetn ,'rD tutangler. l:rich Kleiber, Sir Joltn Barbn olli, Sir -11o/colnrSor3ctrl, Colirt has Ciorg Solti, llerbcrt L:oil Iiorajttt arttl Zttbin .\lt:hta. Frtn tltt' aulutntl o[ 1952 thf orch.stra (otldu(lor, /1s ]icrrl nana2eLl lo obtaiil Ihe s(,rL,icesal the higlth souilht-aIler Eslonian Neerre Jiirvi. os cottclttt lor tt r'ltie [. NEEME JARVI ws born in Estonia in 1937 and Neeme Jdrvi is Principal Conductor of the Goth- studied percusion md conducting there before enburg Svmphonv O-rchestra, Principal Guest going on to the Leningrad Conservatoire to speci' cond;ctoi of the eity of Birmingham Symptrony alize in operatic md symphontc conducllng uno' Orchestra and hc been appointed Principal Cond' er the diltinguished professors Rabinovich md uctor md Musical Direcirlr of the Scottish Nati' Mravinski. onal Orchestra with effect from 1984/85 semon. Mr Jdrvi made his conducting debut at the age ln addition to his appetrances with the Goth- of 18 ud his operatic debut with Camen, perf' enburg, Birmingham a-irilGlrogow orchestrm, his ormed at the fahous Kirov Theatre. In 1963, he reenf engagements also include many conc€rts became director of the Estonian Radio and Tele- with the eo,-ncertqebouwOrchestra in Amsterd' vision Orchestra md also begm his thirteen-yea am md conerts-with the Toronto Symphony, tenure tr Chief Conductor at the Tallinn Opera. the National Arts Centre of Ottawa. the Indiana- lnternational acclaim came in 19?1 with Fimt oolis Svmohonv. ihe Southwest German Radio Prize in the Academia di Smta Cecilia in Rome Svmphonv md- the Bavuian Radio Symphony md subsequent invitations to conduct leading or' Oich'estra.