Reviews — Conductor

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BBCNOW/Andersson review – potent dramatic power

Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff, Wales (UK), 15 December 2015
Music of Nystroem, Stenhammar, Rautavaara, Leif, and Sibelius
BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by B Tommy Andersson

“B Tommy Andersson conjured tempests, geysers and forest gods in this mixed program me for Radio 3’s Northern Light Season. […]

The final northern conjuring of natural power came in Sibelius’s Tapiola, named after the mythological god of the forests. Here Andersson’s conducting strengths came to the fore: clarity of intent balanced with a potent dramatic sense.”

(Rian Evans, The Guardian, 16 December 2015)

Concert review: Steve Reich festival, Expressen, 27 January 2011

Steve Reich Festival, Stockholm Concert Hall, January 2011
The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by B. Tommy Andersson

– Click on the image for a larger view

Translation of the review:
[…] Yesterday, everything worked perfectly, with B Tommy Andersson on the podium — B stands for Bergfast [Rock Solid]. […]
(Lars Sjöberg, Expressen, 27 january 2011)

Concert review: Das Lied von der Erde (Mahler), Svenska Dagbladet, 14 March 2010

Gustav Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde, chamber version
Soloists: Anna Larsson, alto & Mats Carlsson, tenor
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by B. Tommy Andersson
Stockholm Concert Hall, 12 March 2010

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Concert review: The Garden of Delights/Concerto for Orchestra, Göteborgsposten, 16 August 2009

Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, conducted by B. Tommy Andersson
Outdoor concert at Götaplatsen, 15 August 2009

Programme: B. Tommy Andersson: The Garden of Delights & Béla Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra

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Translation of the review:

If someone, a few days ago, would have asked me for a recent Swedish orchestral piece with a capacity to match Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, I would have said that there is no such thing. Today, I know better.

…..B. Tommy Andersson’s The Garden of Delights is, according to the composer himself, inspired by the fascination of Hieronymus Bosch’s fantastic triptych at the Prado Museum in Madrid.

…..Not that the music describes anything tangible, but surely one could hear the quiet left hand panel of the triptych, as well as the dramatic right hand panel, even though the composer himself emphasized the swarm of people and animals of the central panel in his short introduction.

…..Despite the rough weather, it became a distinguished artistic experience to hear this genuine orchestral music with such affluence of sound through the loudspeakers. In that way, the piece by B. Tommy Andersson was in the same spirit as Concerto for Orchestra.

…..So, it hardly came as a complete surprise to me, that the conductor B. Tommy Andersson also was able to interpret Bartók’s music successfully. If I have to bring out two things that have to work perfectly in order to have Concerto for Orchestra to reach through the loudspeakers in an outdoor venue such as this, it would be the mischievous rhythms and the originality of the orchestration. In both cases, conductor and orchestra made great achievements, which reflects an extremely professional attitude.

(Håkan Dahl, Göteborgsposten, 16 August 2009)

Opera review: Beethoven’s Fidelio & Luigi Dallapiccola’s Il prigioniero

NorrlandsOperan, Umeå, conducted by B. Tommy Andersson (both operas as a double bill, 1997)

”Den som tror att gränsen för det möjliga sätts av multinationella bolag och statusfestivaler anar inte vad dirigenten B Tommy Andersson lyckas åstadkomma med Umeå Symfoniorkester. […] En så rytmiskt drivande, förandligad och mot slutet ofattbart extatisk Beethoven som hans tolkning har varken Abbado eller Barenboim kommit ens i närheten av, och det mättade men också skira framförandet av Dallapiccolas Fången mäter sig tveklöst med både Esa-Pekka Salonens disciplinerade Sonyinspelning och Bruno Madernas legendariska Stockholmskonsert för fyrtio år sedan.”

(Carl-Gunnar Åhlén, Svenska Dagbladet, 1997)

Translation of the review:
Whoever believes that the limit for what could be done is set by multinational companies and prestigious festivals, has no idea what conductor B Tommy Andersson has achieved with Umeå Symphony Orchestra. […] Such a rhythmically driving, ethereal, and towards the end incomprehensibly ecstatic interpretation of Beethoven [Fidelio] surpasses what Abbado or Barenboim has ever come close to, and the saturated yet light performance of Dallapiccola’s Il Prigioniero could be compared with both Esa-Pekka Salonen’s disciplined Sony recording and Bruno Maderna’s legendary Stockholm concert forty years ago.

(Carl-Gunnar Åhlén, Svenska Dagbladet, 1997)

Opera review: Alban Berg’s Lulu

GöteborgsOperan (Gothenburg Opera), conducted by B. Tommy Andersson (2002)

”B Tommy Andersson — a young conductor here sharing duties with Elgar Howarth, had, of the three in discussion, the stongest measure of the score. His reading was an act of archaeology — unearthing new facets and sifting through Berg’s dense, sensuous, orchestral textures. Perfectly paced and balanced, with superb playing by the Gothenburgs Orchestra.”

(Phil Ward, Opera Now)

Concert review: Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by B. Tommy Andersson (January, 2001).

BSO HANDLES SYMPHONY WITH APLOMB

”Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 4 was written with a remarkably concentrated homogenity of sound in its scoring, clearly apparent in B Tommy Andersson’s visceral reading. The fanfare that presents a fate-like motif makes a stunning statement of intent and the brass section revelled in the long-term demands Tchaikovsky makes. Likewise the wind choir were unfailingly fresh in their contrasting episodes and superbly supported by the strings’ highly polished playing. Ellen Marsden offered a fine oboe introduction to the second movement’s delicate textures followed by the renowned pizzicato scherzo in which Andersson generated a tightly controlled rhythmic impetus. With splendid attack and drive the finale’s blazing trail was stopped dead by the crushing blows of the fate in this colourful and astutely observed performance.”

(Mike Marsh, Daily Echo)

Opera reviews: Johann Friedrich Reichardt: Die Geisterinsel

The Vadstena International Opera Academy 1992, conducted by B. Tommy Andersson

”The music — in the Mozart tradition, moving towards Weber and Spohr — had sparkle, spice and streams of pleasure under B Tommy Andersson’s leadership”

(Eva Redvall, Opera News)

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”[…] Neben den Sängern hatte sie dabei im Dirigenten B Tommy Andersson und dem jungen Orchester ideale Partner. Die musikalische Wiedergabe war aufregend vom ersten Ton an. Engagiert und mit sichtlicher Spielfreude boten die Musiker ein von dramatischem Geist inspiriertes und durchpulstes Spiel, das seinen Höhepunkt in einem majestätischen Finale fand.”

(Bernd Hoppe, Orpheus)

Translation of the review:
[…] Besides the singers, they had ideal partners in the conductor B Tommy Andersson and the young orchestra. The musical interpretation was exhilarating from the very first note. With devotion and obvious zest, the musicians offered a throbbing playing, imbued with dramatic spirit, which reached its peak in the majestic finale.
(Bernd Hoppe, Orpheus)

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”The Vadstena performance was thrilling from start to finish. B Tommy Andersson conducted a superbly disciplined young orchestra with ideal dramatic spirit…”

(Rodney Milnes, The Times)

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”Att föreställningen blivit så lyckad är inte minst dirigenten B Tommy Anderssons förtjänst. Han har ett märkligt öra för spänningarna i Reichardts musik och får orkestern att spela med verklig frenesi. Han får också sångarna att sjunga ut och ’besvara’ det känslotumult som är musikens drivkraft.”

(Magnus Haglund, Göteborgstidningen)

Translation of the review:
The performance is so successful not least thanks to the conductor B Tommy Andersson. He has a remarkable ear for the tensions in Reichardt’s music, and he makes the orchestra play with true frenzy. He also makes the singers sing out and to respond to the turmoil which is the driving force of the music.
(Magnus Haglund, Göteborgstidningen)

Concert review: E W Korngold: Violin Concerto & Symphony in F sharp

Malmö Symphony Orchestra, conducted by B. Tommy Andersson

”B Tommy Andersson tillhör de främsta i den yngre svenska dirigentgenerationen och är därtill uppenbarligen en av de glupskaste partiturslukarna. Båda verken ledde han med schwung och entusiasm tydande på en förvånansvärt stor förtrogenhet med musiken. Korngolds storslagna och fantasifulla instrumentation gav också orkesterns olika delar liksom enskilda musiker rika tillfällen att briljera, vilket man med stor framgång utnyttjade.”

(S Ola Thulin, Arbetet/Nyheterna, 13 March 1999)

Translation of the review:
B Tommy Andersson belongs to the foremost of the younger generation of Swedish conductors and he is obviously also a voracious consumer of scores. He conducted both pieces with a verve and enthusiasm which indicates a surprisingly intimate knowledge of the music. Korngold’s grandiose and imaginative orchestration also gave the various sections of the orchestra many opportunities to excel, which they did with great success.
(S Ola Thulin, Arbetet/Nyheterna, 13 March 1999)

Concert review: Maurice Ravel: Piano Concerto & Gösta Nystroem: Sinfonia tramontana

The Orchestra of NorrlandsOperan, conducted by B. Tommy Andersson

(Ravel:) ”B Tommy Andersson manar orkestern med precision och bleck- och träblåsarna firar triumfer med sina häftiga repeterande stötar och snärtiga infall.” […] (Nystroem:) ”Symfoniorkestern gör här en tät men stundtals också transparent tolkning av ett av den svenska symfonilitteraturens mest betydande verk, men kanske i och för sig inte Nystroems mest spelade. Det finns både melodiska och mycket dramatiska passager som här binds samman till en enhet. B Tommy Andersson gav en stark profil av en av Sveriges mer betydande 1900-talstonsättare.”

(Bengt Hultman, Västerbottenskuriren)

Opera review: Jan Sandström: Macbeth2, GöteborgsOperan

”[…] Den samvetsgranne dirigenten B Tommy Andersson vecklar ut det musikaliska lapptäcket i alla brokiga nyanser…”

(Carlhåkan Larsén, Sydsvenskan)

Translation of the review:
[…] The conscientious conductor B Tommy Andersson unfolds the musical patchwork in all its motley colours…
(Carlhåkan Larsén, Sydsvenskan)

CD review: Kurt Atterberg: Violin Concerto & Piano Concerto, Gävle Symphony Orchestra

CD Sterling CDS 1034-2

”… the Gävle Symphony Orchestra (which now sounds like the equal of any of Sweden’s more metropolitan orchestras) under composer-conductor B Tommy Andersson, offering spectacular support.”

(Paul A Snook, Fanfare)