Composer and arranger Peter Nordahl was given free rein in 2022 to give Tomas Ledin's songs new life in symphonic form with the Royal Swedish Philharmonic. This resulted in the album "Symphonia" and concerts with various symphony orchestras.
The arrangement left me wanting more, says Ledin, who is now in a new collaboration with Nordahl, releasing the sequel "Symphonia Politropou" (roughly "meeting in another guise") with further new interpretations of Ledin's production from the 1970s onwards.
Many of the chosen songs feel urgent to perform, considering that "the whole world is on fire," he says.
There are some songs that have a positive attitude to life. "Here Comes the New Time" is a song that carries a belief in the future. Another song is "We Are Our Land," which is about the importance of inclusion and how together we can create a better world, he says.
Gives energy to change genres
He thinks Nordahl has dared to take things a step further this time. The album is a bigger challenge for Ledin too.
It's a big difference to stand and sing with a rock band, where I'm the conductor and the manager. In a symphony orchestra, I, like all the other musicians on stage, have to submit to the conductor.
It gives him energy to dare to say yes to things he previously said no to. Changing genres completely is “even more of a project,” says Ledin, who is 74 years old.
Is there anything you're particularly proud of about the album?
I'm proud that I still have my voice and that I still have this passion. I think this is the most important thing I can do with my day. It's not obvious at my age.
Sofie Fogde/TT
Facts: Dates for Tomas Ledin's concert tour
TT
2026:
9/10: Norrköping
14/10, 15/10: Gävle
16/10: Sundsvall
23/10: Västerås
24/10: Örebro
25/10: Uppsala
30/10, 31/10: Arvika
1/11: Karlstad
13/11: Stockholm
20/11: Helsingborg
21/11: Gothenburg
2027:
9/3, 11/3: Turku, Finland
12/3: Helsinki, Finland
