BO LINDE (1933-1970): Orchestral Works, Vol. 3 - Sinfonia fantasia (Symphony No. 1), Op. 1, Sinfonia (Symphony No. 2), Op. 23, Pensieri sopra un cantico vecchio, Op. 35.

Description: The first volume of this series came out in 2005 and was released outside Sweden on Naxos (03H086 - Violin and Cello Concertos). Since the succeeding two volumes were not handled in the same way, and since Naxos now distributes Swedish Society, it seemed like a good idea to offer them during this month of sparse new releases. Linde committed suicide and, from listening to these three discs, one wonders if he was manic-depressive. While his concertos and suites are light, sunny and giftedly melodic (think of his teacher, Lars-Erik Larsson), the symphonies are dark, nervous and tense works, somewhere between Sibelius and Shostakovich; the First is a single-movement work of an 18-year-old, with three themes stated right at the beginning and worked out variously in the following while the Second (1961) is almost twice as long, a three-movement work of 30 minutes with two unrestful slow movements surrounding a threateningly active Toccata. Even the Pensieri, which uses a 16th century hymn, often surrenders its moments of relaxed beauty to more active, unsettled music. Gävle Symphony Orchestra; Petter Sundkvist. 2008 release.