Karl-Magnus Fredriksson has sculpted Herbert Blomstedt.Photo: Karl Thorson
Berwaldhallen, the concert hall of Swedish Radio, has commissioned court singer and sculptor Karl-Magnus Fredriksson to create a bronze bust of Herbert Blomstedt, honorary conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. The bust will be permanently placed in the foyer of Berwaldhallen and can be viewed by concertgoers.
The bust will be unveiled on Friday evening, May 29, a ceremony that Blomstedt himself would have attended in connection with his conducting of Mahler’s Ninth Symphony. Due to health reasons, he has canceled his participation and will be replaced at the conductor’s podium by another world-class conductor, Alan Gilbert.
About the bust, artist Karl-Magnus Fredriksson says :
– I hope that the audience feels presence and power, but also warmth. That they don’t just see a picture of Herbert Blomstedt, but experience something of his way of being in music. If the sculpture conveys that concentration and direction, then it has fulfilled its purpose.
– We are extremely happy that Karl-Magnus Fredriksson accepted the assignment to sculpt a bust of maestro Herbert Blomstedt. Herbert’s constant presence in Berwaldhallen will remind us of his great love for music and all the fantastic concert experiences we have had together. We hope that he will soon return to conduct the Radio Symphony Orchestra, says Staffan Becker, concert hall manager in Berwaldhallen and initiator of the bust.