Swedish dances, 1st. series

Max Bruch's Swedish Dances, Op. 63, were composed in 1892 and belong to that group of works in which the composer turned to folk melodies from other cultures — an interest that accompanied him throughout his life and is equally evident in works such as the Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46. The seven pieces of the first series draw on a wealth of Scandinavian folk music, clothing it in the rich orchestral language of German late Romanticism.

The sound is warm and colourful, characterised by a full string complement and skilful writing for the winds. The tempo markings — ranging from measured calm to lively energy — reflect the characteristic variety of Nordic dance forms and lend the cycle a richly varied inner dramaturgy. Bruch succeeds in combining the unpretentious charm of folk music with consummate craftsmanship, without obscuring the original freshness of the melodies.

In their harmonic language, the Swedish Dances remain rooted in traditional tonality, placing them within the context of the more conservative German orchestral music of the 1890s. They are a characteristic example of the Romantic fascination with national and folk music — a phenomenon that could be observed across Europe during this period.