For the first time, a boxed set brings together the complete works of Allan Pettersson, including his seventeen symphonies, chamber music, vocal works and previously unpublished works performed here by some of the Nordic countries’ leading musicians and orchestras. This collection bears witness to BIS Records’ enduring commitment to this 20th-century Swedish music giant. These recordings have earned numerous awards and the highest critical acclaim from the specialist press around the world.
Allan Pettersson’s music has a very distinctive quality and can hardly be confused with that of any other twentieth-century composer, although it can perhaps be compared with Mahler’s symphonic output, particularly in terms of grandiose conception, passion and dynamism. He considered his own sufferings and blessings, especially from childhood, the source of his creativity.