Schwedische Polska-Lieder for Flute and Piano, Op50

Pan - Journal of the British Flute Society

This review first appeared in Pan, the journal of the British Flute Society and is reproduced with permission. Join the BFS: membership starts from £25 a year.

Andersen’s Schwedische Polska-Lieder are an adaptation of vocal works based on popular Scandinavian folk dances by Swedish baritone and composer Isidor Dannström. A ‘polska’ is a couple’s dance originating from the 16th century that is almost always in triple meter, yet each of Andersen’s pieces is uniquely char-acterful. The publishers Hansen commissioned this work in 1894, three years after Andersen developed a debilitating tongue paralysis that forced him to resign from the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, of which he was a founding member. Turning his focus to composition, these charming and light-hearted pieces, mostly between 3–6 minutes long (depending on repeats), are a wonderful addition to a flute player’s catalogue of Andersen works. Moreover, this editionm(edited by Andersen expert Kyle Dzapo) is clean and easy to read.

Katy Ovens

From the Publisher

Joachim Andersen, one of the great virtuosos of the late-nineteenth century, knew that audiences adore beautiful, singing melodies and that flutists love to play them. While there are many arrangements for flute and piano of vocal works, this collection does not consist of simple arrangements, but rather of ingenious adaptations of six Lieder drawn from Scandinavian folk dances by Swedish composer Isidor Dannström. The fertility of Andersen’s imagination and his uncanny sense of harmony enabled him to preserve the charm of the originals while making each arrangement fresh and interesting. These pieces are lovely additions to any flutist’s repertoire.

Honourable Mention: NFA Newly Published Music Awards 2021

Our Description

Finalist: NFA Newly Published Music Awards 2022

Performance duration (approx): 24'00

Contents

1. Andante con moto
2. Allegretto con spirito
3. Grave: Allegretto vivo
4. Allegretto vivace
5. Andante con gravita: Allegretto vivace
6. Allegretto moderato

Item Details

Instrumentation

• Part 1: Flute
• Part 2: Piano