Stenhammar: Symphony No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 34 & Serenade in F Major, Op. 31 (Live)

Born in the US, Herbert Blomstedt moved back to the country of his parents, Sweden, as a two-year-old and studied there. A longtime favorite of the Gothenburg Symphony, which he first conducted in 1953, Blomstedt directs two major scores by Wilhelm Stenhammar with the orchestra that the composer led from 1907 to 1922. It’s music they have in their blood and they play it magnificently in these live recordings made in the highly appealing acoustics of Gothenburg Concert Hall. Both works are written in a rich, Late Romantic language that overflows with melody underpinned by strong rhythmic foundations.