Sallinen's Navigations

Started by snyprrr, April 09, 2010, 10:17:48 PM

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snyprrr

The Penguin Guide first alerted me to the "other white meat", haha, and at the time (many years ago), I was hooked to those BIS discs of his Symphonies. He had the brooding atmosphere. He had length. He wasn't Schnittke!

Shadows, Washington Mosaics, Cello Concerto, Violin Concerto, From a New Zealand Diary, Corali,...his masterpiece, the SQ No.3, Some Aspects of Peltoniemi Hintrik's Funeral March (love that title!). I think I needed money at the time, though :-[,...

I guess I start this Thread because of my 'problems' with Holmboe, and, I realized, that there is a Finn whose music I was taken with (at the time, at least), who had the atmosphere I was looking for in my Nordic questing. I certainly don't want to start nuthin', but the two do perhaps make an interesting comparison, somewhat.

I didn't see much Sallinen talk when I searched the site, so, is this really the first discussion of Sallinen?

snyprrr

I was checking AS's discography. Can anyone comment on the CPO series of symphonies?

springrite

Yes, his string quartet #3 is a masterpiece. Other quartets are good, too. I have a few of his symphonies, but his best works are in vocal music. Songs of Life and Death is a masterpiece. His operas are wonderful! I have only seen one LIVE-- that being Kullervo. I have that one and King Goes Forth to France. But I have watched a couple of other operas online. Certainly one of the best if not the best Nordic opera composer.
Do what I must do, and let what must happen happen.

MDL

Anyone heard Sallinen's opera King Lear? I'd be interested to hear it just to see how it compares to Aribert Reimann's ultra-expressionist Lear.

Archaic Torso of Apollo

Sallinen is one of the best modern composers working in a traditional style, IMHO.

I second the rec for Songs of Life and Death, which is like a modern Finnish updating of the Brahms Requiem. Symphony #4 is a strident dramatic piece with a lot of atmosphere (I sometimes think of it as "Prokofiev's 8th"). Symphony #8 is another very effective piece.

I've heard a few clunkers from him, but on the whole he's a very good, serious composer.
formerly VELIMIR (before that, Spitvalve)

"Who knows not strict counterpoint, lives and dies an ignoramus" - CPE Bach

kentel

Quote from: Velimir on April 12, 2010, 08:21:54 AM
Sallinen is one of the best modern composers working in a traditional style, IMHO.

I agree.

Actually, my favorite is certainly his fabulous Flute Concerto with its magical eerie atmospheres. It's available on this cd, with the magnificent Takemitsu's Toward the Sea (and the not very interesting Flute Concerto by PPenderecki)



I also love all the pieces Snyprr already mentioned  :  the 3rd String Quartet, Shadows, the 5th and 6th Symphonies (respectively "Washington Mosaics" and "From a New Zealand Diary"). My favorites symphonies are probably the 1st and the 4th with their shimmering and metallic string sections. I was a little disappointed by his 7th symphony "The Dreams of Gandalf", which is a fine work but not as gripping as the previous ones.

--Gilles

Ugh

I remember coming home at 4 in the morning once and turning on the radio where they played his Iron Age suite (from the tv-series). I was mesmerized and had to listen to the entire work even at 4 in the morning to find out who the composer was.
"I no longer believe in concerts, the sweat of conductors, and the flying storms of virtuoso's dandruff, and am only interested in recorded music." Edgard Varese

lescamil

Has anyone heard or seen Sallinen's Punainen Viiva (The Red Line)? I heard a segment of it in a documentary I saw recently. I really enjoyed what I heard of his operas. I am drawn to his purely instrumental works, but most of them haven't exactly clicked for me for some reason.
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UB

Quote from: lescamil on May 14, 2010, 10:20:34 PM
Has anyone heard or seen Sallinen's Punainen Viiva (The Red Line)? I heard a segment of it in a documentary I saw recently. I really enjoyed what I heard of his operas. I am drawn to his purely instrumental works, but most of them haven't exactly clicked for me for some reason.

The Finlandia LPs of 'The Red Line' was my introduction to Sallinen. I liked it so well I started collecting all of his music I could find on LP and then on CD. My favorite orchestral work is the 5th Symphony - Washington Mosaics.
I am not in the entertainment business. Harrison Birtwistle 2010

springrite

Quote from: lescamil on May 14, 2010, 10:20:34 PM
Has anyone heard or seen Sallinen's Punainen Viiva (The Red Line)? I heard a segment of it in a documentary I saw recently. I really enjoyed what I heard of his operas. I am drawn to his purely instrumental works, but most of them haven't exactly clicked for me for some reason.

I watched The Red Line online many years ago and just loved it. I also went to all 6 performances of Kullervo at its premiere in Los Angeles in the 90's. Another great work which you can get on ONDINE. Yes, I do think his operas are his best works.
Do what I must do, and let what must happen happen.

Guido

I love the cello concerto - it's one that grows on you significantly with repeated listenings. I'd nominate it for the masterpiece category - intrigued by the 3rd String Quartet.
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

Maciek

Recently, France Musique broadcast an all-Sallinen birthday concert (from last year), and it can be still listened to here - until Feb 23rd, I think (to start listening, click on the headphones icon to the right). It features several pieces for small ensembles: Barabbas Variations, Cruselliana, Chamber Concerto and The Trees, All Their Green.

With Arto Noras! :)

bhodges

Maciek, thanks a lot! Listening to it now...

--Bruce

Mirror Image

So far Sallinen is really an interesting composer for me. I have took many chances on recordings before, but I'm definitely glad I picked up the CPO set. I heard a work on YouTube not too long ago called "Sunrise Serenade" for trumpet w/ orchestra and this sounded beautiful or as far as I could tell as the audio was quite bad.

snyprrr

Quote from: Mirror Image on July 07, 2011, 09:22:04 PM
So far Sallinen is really an interesting composer for me. I have took many chances on recordings before, but I'm definitely glad I picked up the CPO set. I heard a work on YouTube not too long ago called "Sunrise Serenade" for trumpet w/ orchestra and this sounded beautiful or as far as I could tell as the audio was quite bad.

I suppose if you have CPO you have no need of the BIS discs. Perhaps I will look into getting them back... Sallinen made a pretty big impression there in the early days,... alas they did not survive The Purging. :'(

Mirror Image

Quote from: snyprrr on July 08, 2011, 08:00:33 AM
I suppose if you have CPO you have no need of the BIS discs. Perhaps I will look into getting them back... Sallinen made a pretty big impression there in the early days,... alas they did not survive The Purging. :'(

Right now, I'm just trying to get familiar with his style and the music itself.

snyprrr

Quote from: Mirror Image on July 08, 2011, 08:03:07 AM
Right now, I'm just trying to get familiar with his style and the music itself.

Very purposeful sounding,... is it the 'New Zealand Diary' I'm thinking of, where he 'sets sail in a whole new direction'? I remember Symphonies 4-5, my kind of Nordic! Is it No.6 I'm thinking of? Now you got me wondering about the sonics of CPO vs. BIS. ahhh, another rabiit hole!! :-*

oh wait! Don't we have a Thread on that??  !! ;)

karlhenning

But, did he have a license for his pet perch? . . .

Mirror Image

Quote from: snyprrr on July 08, 2011, 11:12:06 AM
Very purposeful sounding,... is it the 'New Zealand Diary' I'm thinking of, where he 'sets sail in a whole new direction'? I remember Symphonies 4-5, my kind of Nordic! Is it No.6 I'm thinking of? Now you got me wondering about the sonics of CPO vs. BIS. ahhh, another rabiit hole!! :-*

oh wait! Don't we have a Thread on that??  !! ;)

I'm not sure. As I said, I'm still becoming familiar with his composing style.

snyprrr

Quote from: Mirror Image on July 08, 2011, 07:12:38 PM
I'm not sure. As I said, I'm still becoming familiar with his composing style.

That Thread is still on the first page of the 'Recordings' page.