I. Moderato
1. Welcome to Elfrida Andrée’s Symphony No. 2! Elfrida, if you don’t know, was a Swedish organist, composer, conductor, and feminist!
2. This was Europe in the nineteenth century, so by “feminist” we mean female who wanted an education and fewer than 12 babies.
3. Actually she successfully broke social barriers her whole life, despite serious opposition from men. But they just wanted her smile more!
4. Elfrida wrote orchestral music, organ music, chamber music, and even an opera, whose plot is the most Nordic story you’ve ever heard.
5. The opera features two brothers, Helgi and Halfdan, and their sister Ingeborg, and our hero Frithjof, who literally grew up on the wrong side of the fjord.
6. I mean, we might as well be eating lutefisk in an IKEA parking lot. In a Volvo. Listening to ABBA.
7. Of course, after a visit to Baldrshagi, and a brief stint as a Viking, Frithjof marries Ingeborg and becomes the King of Ringerike. And he kills one of the brothers. Hey, it’s opera.
8. Or as my favorite TV chef would say, “Schmorgy-bordy dee Singy-Singy und dee Flurpdorp dee Schtabby-Wabby.”
II. Andante
1. Elfrida was the first female to become a certified organist in Sweden. Before that, all female organists were uncertified, which to be honest, sounds cooler. I bet they smoked.
2. Elfrida was also the first Swedish woman trained to use a telegraph machine. Which could be why this piece has both short and long notes.
3. Actually, telegraphy seems a natural fit for an organist.
4. “Do you think you can press this lever down multiple times to communicate something?” I think I got this, bro.
III. Scherzo – Presto
1. Elfrida began writing larger orchestral works in order to prove to the world that female composers were worth listening to. Sounds like she had a point.
2. The 2nd Symphony was first performed during intermission at the Stora Teatern, a prestigious musical theater in Gothenburg, which still stands today.
3. So on the one hand, yay prestigious theater! But on the other hand… intermission? And apparently the audience still applauded!
4. You must be pretty good if people don’t mind you playing your symphony while they’re trying to get popcorn and Goobers.
IV. Allegro risoluto
1. Elfrida lived out most of her career in Gothenburg as an organist, teacher, conductor, composer, and concert organizer.
2. She was well known for putting on a series of over 800 folk concerts. She kept the ticket prices low, so more people could come to hear them.
3. It’s unclear how these would compare to modern folk concerts. Probably fewer hippies and more socks and shoes. Although Birkenstocks were widely available in Europe by then…
4. Over a hundred years later, concert ticket prices have gone back up significantly. Except at ROCO, where you pay what you want. Which we hope isn’t TOO low.
5. ROCO: Where the ticket prices are low, the conductors and composers are often female, the footwear is exotic, and everyone should smile more!
