This Saturday, September 14, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra will be kicking off their 2024-25 season. They will be welcoming to the stage violinist and violist James Ehnes. Ehnes will be performing two huge works on the program, Brahms magnificent D major violin concerto, and Berlioz’s Harold in Italy for Orchestra with viola obbligato. Ehnes will bring his outstanding musicianship and flawless technical ability to these two works in what is sure to be a spellbinding performance. (There is a good reason he is becoming known as “King James.”)
Also, on the program the WSO will be performing a concert overture written by the fabulous Swedish composer Elfrida Andrée. In anticipation of hearing this rarely heard composer’s music on Saturday night, we here at Classic 107 will be featuring the music of this truly underrated composer.
Andrée was born in Visby, Sweden in 1841. As her talent and desire to study music became apparent, she would enroll at the Royal Music Academy in Stockholm, where she studied with Ludvig Norman. Later Andrée would study with the Danish composer Niels Gade at the Copenhagen Conservatory.
After her studies she became known as an activist in the Swedish women’s movement and ended up becoming one of the first female organists to be officially appointed in Scandanavia. She began work in Stockholm in 1861 and became the organist at Gothenburg Cathedral in 1867, where she remained the organist until her death.
In 1897 she was named leader of the Gothenburg Workers Institute Concerts, establishing her reputation as the first Swedish woman to conduct a symphony orchestra. For her services, she was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. She died in Gothenburg in 1929.
During her career, she won the Litteris et Artibus award in 1895. An award handed out by the King of Sweden, to people who have made important contributions to culture, especially music, dramatic art, and literature.
Despite recognition from Swedish society and her collogues, Andrée’s music struggled to be noticed by the European establishment because she was a woman.
Tune in every day this week at 1pm to hear this amazing music, written by a composer who was sadly overlooked.