Opera on the Move in the Nordic Countries during the Long 19th ...

The introduction of Richard Wagner’s music dramas in Stockholm
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Göran Gademan (1996, p. 63) points out that it was not until 1878 that the
conductors of operatic performances were mentioned in reviews, and then
only briefly. It is therefore striking how the two conductors, Conrad Nordqvist
and Andreas Hallén, are acknowledged and praised in the Meistersinger
and Walküre reviews. It seems obvious that the new and enlarged role
of the orchestra in Wagner’s later works not only increased the importance
of the conductor, but also made the critics notice his contribution. Fredrik
Vult von Steijern (DN 7/4 1887) also points out that the responsibility of the
conductor is so much greater in a work like Die Meistersinger when in most
of the participants he cannot rely on the support of the tradition.
Many critics reviewing Die Walküre pointed out that the number of rehearsals
was exceptional for Swedish conditions. The industriousness apparently
paid off. According to KRS (DN 9/11 1895), the orchestra played
with confidence as if they had been doing nothing else for a long time than
rehearsing Die Walküre. With an element of national pride he added: “I could
mention that while there were 45 orchestral rehearsals in Stockholm, there
were 60 before the premiere in Copenhagen, and approximately the same
number before the first performance of the work in Frankfurt.”
Unfortunately, not much is said about the interpretations of the conductors:
only their tempi are mentioned by some of the critics. After praising
Conrad Nordqvist, Karl Valentin writes:
”I have only one objection, and it is that the tempi were not always according
to tradition. The prelude, the first scene after the opening chorus,
the quintet and some other passages were played too fast. It is always
difficult to argue about tempi, but irrespective of the tradition, it
is absolutely certain that these passages must be played a touch more
slowly, and that the declamation demands a calmer tempo in order to
have its effect and then appear completely different and more forceful.”
Hallén’s tempi in Die Walküre were also fast. KRS (DN 9/11 1895) does not
make this observation himself but writes that “somebody” pointed out that
some of them were too fast. His own comment was that one should suppose
that Hallén generally knew the proper traditions. While “somebody” considered
Hallén’s tempi too fast, Magnus Josephson (PIT 9/11 1895) claimed
that there was no harm in his choice of some fast tempi because even “if
at the moment they can’t get enough of slow tempi in Germany, this is
not something that should be imitated unconditionally.” Finally, TA (SvD
A 11/11 1995) also notes Hallén’s fast tempi, but considered the reason to
be a “certain, moreover easily explainable nervousness” that made Hallén
increase the pace too much.”