Intermezzo No.1
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

"Intermezzo No. 1" is an instrumental track from Swedish
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...
group
ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The grou ...
's self-titled third album, released in April 1975. It was the first of only two tracks by the group not to contain lyrics; the other was the title track of their 1976 release, ''
Arrival Arrival(s) or The Arrival(s) may refer to: Film * ''The Arrival'' (1991 film), an American science fiction horror film * ''The Arrival'' (1996 film), an American-Mexican science fiction horror film * ''Arrival'' (film), a 2016 American science ...
''. It is the only purely instrumental ABBA song however, as Arrival includes "a static layer of rich harmony vocals". On the cover, the song was credited as "Intermezzo No.1 ''featuring Benny Andersson''".


Production

Written by
Benny Andersson Göran Bror Benny Andersson (; born 16 December 1946) is a Swedish musician, singer, composer and producer best known as a member of the musical group ABBA and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess'', ''Kristina från Duvemåla'', and ''Mamma Mia ...
and
Björn Ulvaeus Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (; born 25 April 1945) is a Swedish singer, songwriter, producer, a member of the musical group ABBA, and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess'', ''Kristina från Duvemåla'', and ''Mamma Mia!'' He co-produced the films ' ...
, the orchestral rock tune was recorded on October 16, 1974, in Stockholm's Glen and Metronome Studios under the working title "Mama". Another working title for the song was Bach-låten (The Bach Tune).http://www.carlmagnuspalm.com/Upload/abbabooks/completeguidechapter.pdf In September 1975, it was released as the B-side to ABBA's single, "
Mamma Mia Mamma mia (; an Italian interjection, literally "my mom"), Mammamia, Mamamia or Mumma Mia may refer to: Music Works associated with ABBA * "Mamma Mia" (ABBA song), a 1975 ABBA song * ''Mamma Mia!'' (musical), a stage play based on ABBA songs ...
".
Carl Magnus Palm Carl Magnus Palm (born 1965) is a Swedish author and historian, writing in Swedish and English, best known for his work on the Swedish pop group ABBA. ABBA Carl Magnus Palm’s first book on ABBA was ''ABBA – The Complete Recording Sessions ...
describes it as a "showcase of Benny's classical music influences", which first began to appear in his work with
The Hep Stars The Hep Stars are a Swedish rock band formed in Stockholm in 1963. During 1965–1966 the band was the most successful of contemporary 1960s Swedish pop groups performing in the English language. Outside the Nordic countries the band is bes ...
songs “Sunny Girl” and “Wedding”. Carl Magnus Palm explains the song was a "popular feature on every subsequent ABBA tour" after the ABBA album was released. For example, the song is shown being performed in the 1977 concert tours in the film ABBA: The Movie.


Composition

The song has a "piano and guitar-led instrumental". Many of ABBA's pieces are full of "thematic throwaways of the rich folk music culture f Sweden. This song is a "solo vehicle" in which to indulge in classical music. The grand piano is the central instrument, layered by a "flamboyant network of synth textures and brass punches". ''ABBA: Let The Music Speak'' explains "the main theme is inviting and uncomplicated, constantly giving way to a rapid-fire succession of mood-swinging secondary themes".


Critical reception

''Music News'' lists the song as one of ABBA's "ambitious tracks...that showcase Andersson and Ulvaeus' classical leanings while demonstrating their abilities as proficient songwriters". ''Der Tagesspiegel'' says the song, "in contrast to the catchy masterpiece amma Mia that it was coupled with on the single, "has a rather psychedelic-disturbing character". ''Abba's Abba Gold'' notes that ABBA Gold doesn't include any of the "lackadaisical instrumentals ABBA threw about" like "Arrival" or "Intermezzo No.1". It adds though "fans like the albums precisely for these oddities". ''Abba – Uncensored on the Record'' describes the song as an "impressive instrumental". ''Bright Lights Dark Shadows: The Real Story of Abba'' explains that while "experiments in applying classical music to a pop format were very much in vogue at the time ntermezzo No.1ha come to seem a little dated". It nevertheless describes the song as "show nga sense of musical ambition" and an "opus". Carl Magnus Palm says for fans of ambitious music, the song "probably remains a highlight in the ABBA oeuvre", while to those who prefer more straightforward pop hits, the song "has aged less well". ''ABBA: Let The Music Speak'' says the song is "whimsical and melodramatic" and "a sophisticated pastiche of all that is great and wondrous in the world of classical music, injected with a shot of late twentieth century pop enthusiasm".


References

{{Authority control 1970s instrumentals 1975 songs ABBA songs Pop instrumentals Songs written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus