Symphony No 10 / Symphony No 11

Allan Pettersson occupies a lonely place in 20th -century music - seemingly alienated from any "school", professing an empathy with criminals and outcasts, and using the tools of an earlier generation: symphonies, songs, and concerti. Yet, more than any composer of our time, he has been able to provide a musical testament of a spiritual longing faced with the existential void that we see in the faces of the homeless, the sick, and the beaten-down. Although his music has been labeled "pessimistic", it is inherently hopeful and consolatory - we come away exhausted but enlightened. Isolated first by choice and later by crippling illness, he remained essentially unknown outside of Sweden until Antál Doráti championed his music with the recording of the Seventh Symphony in 1969. Today, 15 of his 16 symphonies have been recorded; one recording label is closing their complete cycle of his work, and another is well underway. (Pettersson withheld his First Symphony, and we are unlikely to hear it.)

"This is incredible music from a master of symphony.
The symphony no 10 was sketched in a hospital in Stockholm where Alan was in bed for severe kidney problems. Like a fistblow in the face said Alan himself about this music. This is music directed to us, to the outer world. It is hard music, it is extremely demanding music and it is extremely fascinating music. The harsh tones follows suddenly by a 'salvation song', and this contrast is so strong that my tears come everytime I listen to it. It is a fantastic, moving piece of music.
If symphony no 10 is music to the outer world, no 11 is a dialogue with the inner world. It is not at all so harsh like no 10. There is 'stormy weather' sections here too, but not at all like in no 10. I find this symphony one of the most delicate of all his symphonie's. It is short but contains everything.
This inner dialouge is very prominent about 15 minutes(nr22) into the symphony. What a brilliant part!
These symphonie's are growing every time I listen to them. This is music to live with, to find some new exciting things every time. I'm so happy i came across Allan Pettersson's music about 30 years ago.
The CPO recording is just superb. Alun Francis leeds superbly the orhestra.
Take time, be patient and you will be richely awarded and perhaps you can hear'the song the soul once sang'."
(Amazon.com)