It is nice to record something that sounds good, does not take too long to record, and does not require months to prepare. In fact I only got to know these charming little ones yesterday Maybe not great music, but nice and tuneful. And we don't have all too much Swedish music on the site. Also, Stenhammar is a composer that deserves more exposure (and wrote far more substantial things than these).

Stenhammar - Three Small Piano Pieces - 1: Molto tranquillo, semplice (2:22)
Stenhammar - Three Small Piano Pieces - 2: Allegro (1:31)
Stenhammar - Three Small Piano Pieces - 3: Polska (en miniature) (1:35)

Hi Chris,

I'm unfamiliar with Stenhammar, but in listening to these character pieces he definitely has a very refined idiom--much craftsmanship there. Once in awhile I hear a fleeting, vague reference to Chopin, but still this composer is very original. I believe you played all of these piece very well.

David

I don't know the composer. This music is okay; I think I liked the third one best. Or maybe the second one.

For only one day of practice, these sound very good! I wish I could do that!!

Hi Chris,

I had a listen to your recordings, nice playing and I agree they are tuneful. IMO especially the 2nd and 3rd of the three. Dynamics were brought out well and tempo did not seemed rushed or too slow. I have never heard of Stenhammar but this makes a good impression I'm swedish but to my shame I don't really know what to think of when I think of swedish music. Now I can claim something

-Riley

Thanks all. Funny that you like nos. 2 and 3 best. I rate no. 1 much higher. Could not get the damn thing out of my head all day yesterday.
The 'problem' with Swedish music is that there was never a great Swedish composer to put it firmly on the map, like the other Scandinavian countries had Sibelius, Grieg, and Nielsen. Much Swedish music is too insistently jolly, light, and lyrical. While there's nothing wrong with that, one longs for more depth and a bit of struggle. But there are some good composers if you can find them, like Stenhammar, Larsson, Alfven, and Atterberg (the latter maybe the most distinctive, a composer I'd want to explore but he wrote very little for piano besides his marvellous concerto).

I never knew you were Swedish Riley !

What put Sweden on the map is not their music (or their meatballs), you're right. It's their people! Among the fairest of all.

Berwald?

Yes maybe. I don't think he wrote much, but his symphonies are real good.

4 highly individual symphonies and very rewading too. He has also some "tone poems" and a wind sextet. He had quite an adventurous life, if I recall, doing all sorts of stunts to make ends meet.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to go with the crowd and also prefer nos. 2 and 3. The first one seemed a bit nondescript but then again perhaps it needs more listening. The growling bass in no. 2 made me chuckle. The third was pleasingly rustic and spirited in character; if I remember rightly a polska is a Scandinavian dance. By association I've now been diverted into listening to his first piano concerto.

Thanks for listening Andrew. I am curious where you heard growling basses in no.2 ? Not aware of them - but if I'd done it subconsciously, all the better

How strange I prefer no.1 and everybody else nos. 2 and 3. Must be my bad taste
I find no.1 quite affecting and knew after hearing the first few bars I had to play it. The others, though nice enough, didn't quite do that for me.

I hear four bass growls in the middle section. At any rate growling is what they made me think of!

Maybe it was Chris thinking he was about to let a finger slip!

I just got around to listening to these. They are charming little pieces. Nice playing as usual.

Of course Monica likes No. 3 best, it is essentially a Mazurka!! We know that she has a thing for those.

While I like all 3, I think that I will go with Chris on this one, I really like the first one. I guess it shows that Dutch blood is thicker than Absolut.

Scott

Thanks Scott. Glad someone agrees, I think no.1 is really sweet.