For my penultimate song of the year I’m returning once more to ABBA and the wonderful Intermezzo No. 1. This instrumental performed by Benny Andersson was included on the self-tilted ABBA album in 1975, and was one of only two instrumentals in the entire ABBA catalogue, the other one being Arrival. In his book about the stories behind the songs, musicologist Christopher Patrick Tesch describes the “whimsical and melodramatic” Intermezzo No. 1 as “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”. Kudos also to “Tom” from Tom’s ABBA Midi files for the very well programmed drum track I’ve used on this recording!

If it’s your first time on the site, find out more about the 365 Songs project or see all of my December songs here. If you’re looking for more ABBA songs, have a listen to my Tribute to ABBA album or check out this year’s ABBA songs from my archives.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-pentleton/intermezzo-no-1