Complete Songs
Pettersson's fame, or notoriety as it were, rests with his dour, frothing at the mouth rants in the form of large symphonies. His songs date from early in his career, and reveal a different composer altogether. TheTwenty-four Barefoot Songsfrom 1935, which make up this collection's core, have a charming, folk-like simplicity in their strophic forms and modest performing demands. If you like Grieg's or Nielsen's songs, you'll certainly warm to these wistful bonbons. A previously recorded version for Swedish Society divided the songs between a male and female singer, which minimized the "sameness" factor. Monica Groop's warm, evocative performances, however, are ideal, as are Cord Garben's thoughtful keyboard contributions. An attractive release.--Jed Distler