Beautiful pop tunes smartly turned into symphonic music,
magnificently interpreted by award-winning Swedish violinist Christian Svarfvar
accompanied by the London Philharmonic Orchestra: this is what The Symphonic
Touch of Benny Andersson is about. The album is guaranteed to please your ears
and leave you relaxed and immersed in the sound. The new album, out just a few
days ago, certainly delivers what its title lets you imagine.
اضافة اعلان
In a world overflowing with beautiful music of all genres
and styles, genuine innovation may be the most sought-after element in a new
release. It is also the hardest to find. This album, however, amply satisfies
this wish, and it innovates.
In a world overflowing with beautiful music of all genres and styles, genuine innovation may be the most sought-after element in a new release. It is also the hardest to find.
Before even listening to the contents, the mere presence on
the cover and the title of Benny Andersson, the Swedish musician, was enough to
raise my curiosity, especially since the album is presented as classical music.
After all, as we all know, Andersson was the leading member and main composer
of the celebrated pop band Abba and the man behind most, if not all, of their
hit songs. Money, Money, Money, Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia, Knowing Me Knowing
You, Voulez-Vous, Waterloo, and Chiquitita are still ringing in our ears.
So, what is special about the new album?
Most of the popular songs of Abba composed by Andersson were
built on well-structured, exquisite, original, catchy melodies and appealing
ear-pleasing harmonies. These are essential traits of symphonic music. Of
course, Andersson’s fellow Abba member Björn Ulvaeus also brought a non-negligible
contribution to the works, but Andersson did the major part.
Andersson’s “symphonic touch”, felt since the days of Abba,
has been put to good use here with the amazing arrangements for violin and
orchestra of Anders Berglund, a Swedish classical arranger, composer,
conductor, and pianist. The whole work is crowned with the second-to-none
performance of Christian Svarfvar and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, who
have played the entire set of twelve pieces for the new recording.
Andersson’s “symphonic touch”, felt since the days of Abba, has been put to good use here with the amazing arrangements for violin and orchestra of Anders Berglund.
Though Andersson composed them, not all the tracks are
remakes of Abba songs. In fact, only two are: I Wonder and Money, Money, Money.
I must say that these two are my favorite numbers here. Whether it is because
they remind me of Abba’s music or not, I cannot say. I just loved them more
than the rest.
They send you reminiscing about the heyday of Abba. The
orchestral treatment of the tunes Berglund is so refined and sweet that you end
up liking these sophisticated versions even more than the original pop format
of yesteryears. The arrangements come to truly enhance the inherent beauty of
the melody and the harmonies. Perhaps track seven, Chess, is the only one that
does not sound “Abbaesque”.
The closing track, You and I, is also a superb composition.
It is slow, romantic, and almost mesmerizing, nicely concluding the
53-minute-long musical program.
The classical style of the album is rather traditional,
mainstream. It does not try to sound like “modern classical”, which is a good
thing — most recent attempts to sound modern end up only sounding
“intellectual” and fail to please. Music lovers just want to be pleased, to
enjoy what they are listening to. Andersson and Berglund have obviously
understood that and have obliged.
The classical style of the album is rather traditional, mainstream. It does not try to sound like 'modern classical', which is a good thing — most recent attempts to sound modern end up only sounding “intellectual” and fail to please.
In addition to Andersson’s symphonic touch, it is important
to underline the masterful touch of Svarfvar and his delightful interpretation.
He plays with precision, restraint, good taste, elegant phrasing, and optimum
tempi.
The album is so pleasant and easy to listen to that I am
tempted to call it easy-listening material. But that might conjure up what is
often called easy-listening jazz or pop/commercial music. That would not be
fair to the violinist Svarfvar, the composer Andersson or the conductor
Berglund. This is simply uncomplicated, good classical music by no other name.
And yes, it puts you in a good mood.
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