Blomdahl's work with small particles (in his later works, especially in the lyrical movements) can give one the feeling of looking into a microscope. This technique also leaves its mark on the shaping of the vocal parts. These are often syllabic, declamatory, and thus temporally economical, as though it were almost melodic speech.(1)Karl-Birger Blomdahl (1916 - 1968) gained his greatest success with his mature vocal works.
I speglarnas sal (In the Hall of Mirrors) (1952), an oratorio for speaker, soloists, choir and orchestra, sets nine sonnets from mannen utan väg (The Man without a Way) (1942) by Erik Lindegren, Blomdahl's favorite author.
The first video features parts I - III of the oratorio: the title sonnet (poem I), the seventh sonnet här i denna tystnad (here in this silence), and the fourteenth i den urholkade dimman (in the hollowed fog). In the second video we hear part VII: the 22nd sonnet Stilla som en brunn (Still as a well) sung beautifully by the soprano and composer Margareta Hallin. Listen to the remaining movements here.
No. 4 Il Cielo (The Sky) from Cinque canzone (Five Songs) (1954) for voice and piano are set to poems by Salvatore Quasimodo (No. 1) and the Florentine poet Giulio Arcangioli (1881 - 1843) whose works only became known after his death.
Aniara (1959), with lyrics by Erik Lindegren based on an epic poem by Harry Martinson, is widely considered the first science fiction opera. The story imagines a 'tragic, futuristic vision of a spaceship getting off course doomed to circle the heavens for all eternity.' The two-act setting is intensely effective and became very popular. A few months before Blomdahl's death, the composer attended the opera's 100th performance by the Stockholm Opera. (1) The story is told in detail here. Listen to acts I and II here and here.
The opera starts with an instrumental prelude Galactic Space. We hear 'Aniara SOS Aniara' in Morse code.
An Interlude from Act I Scene 3: Vi borjar langsamt ana att den rymd (We are slowly beginning to divine that the space) sung by the Chief Technician 1 of the spacecraft.
From the same scene: Mimaband 2 (Mima-tape 2) with electronic accompaniment.
The passengers seek to distract themselves, turning first to jitterbugging (led by a party girl named Daisi Doody), later to an atavistic sex cult called "Yurg," involving lascivious dances in a hall of mirrors.(2)From Act II Scene 2: Lib i della (Daisi Doody) and the Yurg (Mimarobe).
From the same scene we hear the blind poetess in Vokaliser (Vocalization).
Melismatics are unusual, vocalize entirely absent [in Blomdahl's vocal works]--with one exception: the role of the Poetess in Aniara, whose tremendous textless arches of melody sound like a synthesis of the romantic coloratura technique and features of the richly ornamented falsetto singing practiced in parts of rural Sweden.(1)
From Act II Scene 3, Goldondern Aniara (The goldonda Aniara) (Chefone).
From Act II Scene 4, Nar den man alskat natt till dodens dorr (When the one you love arrives at death's door) (The Mimarobe).
From this interesting opera with its humbling message for humanity, we hear two more beautiful instrumental excerpts : Kristal and Vintergaten (Milkyway).
We leave Karl-Birger Blomdahl with one of his last works: Resan i denna natt (The Journey on this Night) (1966), a song for soprano and string orchestra with text from Erik Lindegren's Pastrol Suites.
The discovery of Karl-Birger Blomdahl has proved to be an interesting and beautiful journey.
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(1) Bo Wallner, "Karl-Birger Blomdahl (1916-1968)."Perspectives of New Music Vol. 7, No. 2 (Spring - Summer, 1969), pp. 186-189. (http://www.jstor.org/stable/832305 (04/29/2016))
(2) Dins, "Blomdahl - Aniara." Talk Classical thread, 08/23/2011. (http://www.talkclassical.com/14642-blomdahl-aniara.html (04/30/2016))