Vagn Holmboe (1909-1996)

[Symphonic Addict]

Recently I've revisited the ultra-fantastic Sinfonia Boreale. What an extraordinary creation this is!

For me it's a like raw combination of Nielsen, Sibelius, Tubin and Shostakovich (just how I associate these composers with), four of my favorite composers ever. I love this combination!

The performance I heard was the early one with Semkow and the Royal Danish Orchestra. The organic element is much more evident here, the driving-and-craggy mood seems more accentuated. Maybe the timpani could be a little more potent. Aside from that, I don't have important reservations.

I wish other modern orchestras will take other ways and will perform other repertoire.

[Mirror Image]

I wish other modern orchestras will take other ways and will perform other repertoire.

I wouldn't hold your breath here.

[lordlance]

I have heard Holmboe's SQ 2, 4 and Symphony No. 7. I like the Seventh Symphony.

Any specific orchestral/SQ recommendations that aren't in the Nielsen Sinfonia Semplice-vein? i.e. music that's calm/without dynamic contrast for most of its duration.

[Madiel]

Hmm. I don't know that you get huge amounts of calm in most Holmboe, across multi-movement works anyway. Slow movements yes. I'll have to think about it (it's early in the day, no coffee yet).

The sinfonias/Kairos maybe? Pure strings only.

[krummholz]

I have heard Holmboe's SQ 2, 4 and Symphony No. 7. I like the Seventh Symphony.

Any specific orchestral/SQ recommendations that aren't in the Nielsen Sinfonia Semplice-vein? i.e. music that's calm/without dynamic contrast for most of its duration.

I agree with Madiel that Holmboe didn't write a lot of music of a sustained calm mood. Perhaps some stretches of the first two Sinfonias for strings (from Kairos), or the first movement of Symphony No. 6. It is not without dynamic contrasts, but the Symphony No. 11 is basically calm and undramatic for the most part. Also some of the Preludes for Sinfonietta, esp. No. 9, To the Calm Sea.

[lordlance]

Just to clarify I meant that I DON'T want music with a generally calm mood LIKE Nielsen Sinfonia Semplice. So volcanic eruptions of sound would be very much to my taste.

[Madiel]

Just to clarify I meant that I DON'T want music with a generally calm mood LIKE Nielsen Sinfonia Semplice. So volcanic eruptions of sound would be very much to my taste.

Oh okay, confused with all the negatives in your statement.

Well, you can get plenty of non-calm music. Symphonies 2, 8 and 13 spring to mind (but most of them). The Symphonic Metamorphoses. Many of the concertos...

[Madiel]

In other news, went back to my attempt at a recordings database. I still can't entirely figure out a good way to present it... not least because Airtable would insist on publishing my email address in one format, something that I've pointed out to them is massively undesirable (to lots of users of the software, not just me).

So far I've got entries for... 70 albums (not all fully Holmboe albums), and 204 recordings of 166 works. The album count includes different editions of the same thing, for example the collected BIS symphonies and the separate discs are both included (because they're both available for purchase).

You'll see all this eventually. The albums that are left are more obscure ones that I don't own (as opposed to the obscure ones that I do own, which got entered today).

[Madiel]

Actually, let's see if this view works... this should show you the covers of albums. And preferably not my email address anywhere.

https://airtable.com/shr7soGPTQtu3GiZs

In theory you can sort by album title, year of release etc.  You can look at the list of works, but from this view I don't think it will let you click on a work to see other recordings of it.

[Mirror Image]

Just to clarify I meant that I DON'T want music with a generally calm mood LIKE Nielsen Sinfonia Semplice. So volcanic eruptions of sound would be very much to my taste.

What's wrong with a calm mood? Don't you like Debussy? Also, Nielsen's Symphony No. 6 is "generally calm"? Gosh, thank goodness we hear different things!

[lordlance]

What's wrong with a calm mood? Don't you like Debussy? Also, Nielsen's Symphony No. 6 is "generally calm"? Gosh, thank goodness we hear different things!

From my distant recollection of Sinfonia Semplice yes it was calm. I never reheard it. I actually hate Debussy's and Ravel's music. I find them intolerable for the most part.

But that's just what I like in music - loud and fast, a battery of percussion, volcanic eruptions and overwhelming orchestral might like Bruckner. That's why I never bother with chamber music for the most part. I'm starting to try some SQs and solo piano music like Beethoven PSes but they just don't do it for me the same way that a Bruckner symphony can.

[Madiel]

I did not know this recording from 1951 was available anywhere.  This guy has rescued all sorts of old 78s.

https://www.youtube.com/v/UX491l-Jhpc

[Madiel]

Okay okay, calm down everyone. And could someone let me know whether the airtable link works? Ta.

[North Star]

Actually, let's see if this view works... this should show you the covers of albums. And preferably not my email address anywhere.

https://airtable.com/shr7soGPTQtu3GiZs

In theory you can sort by album title, year of release etc.  You can look at the list of works, but from this view I don't think it will let you click on a work to see other recordings of it.

Seems to be in full working order.

[Karl Henning]

Good to "see" you, Karlo!

[Madiel]

Seems to be in full working order.

Thanks.

I'll keep adding data then figure out how to add all the extra functionality I want.

[Papy Oli]

Actually, let's see if this view works... this should show you the covers of albums. And preferably not my email address anywhere.

https://airtable.com/shr7soGPTQtu3GiZs

In theory you can sort by album title, year of release etc.  You can look at the list of works, but from this view I don't think it will let you click on a work to see other recordings of it.

Neat visual tool, Madiel, thank you. Sorting and filtering worked fine this end (e.g sorting by label + year, or filtering for symphony only, etc...)

[Madiel]

Neat visual tool, Madiel, thank you. Sorting and filtering worked fine this end (e.g sorting by label + year, or filtering for symphony only, etc...)

Excellent!

Eventually I plan to make it so that you can, say, click on a work and find the other recordings of the same work (and also see when the same recording appears on multiple albums).

Some of this is leading me to LPs I'll probably never hear. Though some of the older recordings have been converted for download or streaming.

[Madiel]

The third symphonic metamorphosis, Epilog, definitely qualifies for volcanic eruptions of sound.

[lordlance]

The third symphonic metamorphosis, Epilog, definitely qualifies for volcanic eruptions of sound.

Thank you for tge recommendation, Madiel.