Englund is primarily regarded as a symphonic
composer. His seven symphonies and his concertos are the backbone
of a substantial output. The majority of his chamber works were
composed fairly late, after he returned to composition following
a ten-year period of silence. The exception, however, is the
Piano Quartet composed in 1941 and
slightly revised in the early 1970s. It seems that Sibelius
heard and appreciated the piece that was composed as Englund’s
diploma work at the Sibelius Academy. Apparently both Englund’s
composition teacher Bengt Carlson
and Sibelius agreed that the quality of the piece far exceeded
that of a so-called diploma piece. True, the Piano Quintet is a substantial and ambitious piece of music, in
which several musical influences inevitably rub shoulders. However
it also displays a number of Englund
fingerprints, such as his liking for clear lines and forms,
and for neatly worked-out counterpoint as well as his inborn
lyricism. The Quintet is in four movements with a short Scherzo
placed second. The first Allegro opens in march rhythm, and
the energetic drive of the music is sustained throughout the
movement, although the music pauses in slower sections. At times,
too, the march tune acquires an ironic tinge that turns it almost
into a tango. However, for all its energy, the first movement
ends with a question mark. The concise Scherzo that follows
was regarded by the composer as the most inspired part of the
quintet. The third movement, originally dedicated to the composer’s
brother killed during the last days of the Winter War (in the
published score, the dedication is extended to the whole work),
is predominantly elegiac and meditative. It builds up to a pair
of impressive climaxes, the second of which leads straight into
the final movement dominated by a rousing heroic theme presented
by the violins and including a fugal section. A final un
poco largamente restatement of the theme brings the quintet
to its triumphant, though ultimately appeased conclusion. A
splendid first opus which any composer might be proud of. It
was to be followed by the epic First Symphony that put Englund
firmly onto Finland’s musical map.
After a long period of silence, Englund returned to composition and resumed his symphonic
progress. Later still, he turned to chamber music and composed
some fine pieces such as the Suite for Solo Cello (1986), the Piano Trio (1982), the Cello
Sonata (1982), the Violin Sonata (1979) as well as
his only String Quartet completed in 1986. It, too, is in four movements
with the Scherzo (actually a Waltz) placed second. The first
movement, that the composer views as some sort of prelude, is
a compressed, strongly contrapuntal sonata form. The Valse
that follows functions as a Scherzo, albeit a somewhat understated
one. The following Adagio is Englund
at his most warmly lyrical again. It opens with a magnificent
theme on cello, that gives way to intense, expressive tunes
superbly worked-out in masterly counterpoint. The String Quartet
ends with a theme and five highly contrasted variations capped
by a peaceful coda. Englund’s beautiful String Quartet is on the whole more serene
than the often agitated and troubled Piano Quintet. It is a
marvellous piece of music that leaves one wishing that Englund
had written more string quartets.
These substantial works, all premiere recordings,
are most welcome additions to Englund’s
discography. They are superbly well served with polished and
dedicated performances, and warmly recorded. This is a must
for all “Englundians”, and is warmly
recommended to all who respond to sincere, expressive and deeply
human music.
Hubert Culot
Peter 
