Norwegian composers

Started by Lethevich, January 08, 2011, 06:06:42 PM

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SymphonicAddict

#80
Quote from: relm1 on August 28, 2019, 03:48:13 PM
Norwegian composer Ragnar Söderlind (b. 1945) Symphony No.8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr5oA_cyfZk

First was the Kielland, later the Norgard, and now this Söderlind. Wow! Positively impressed. It definitely shares the Kielland depiction of something lugubrious, ghostly, raw and cold but with energy enough. Very Sibelian and Brian-like at times. Thanks for sharing it!

Edit: Finishing... oh God! This is mandatory stuff! Wonderful find!!

relm1

Quote from: SymphonicAddict on August 30, 2019, 05:48:02 PM
First was the Kielland, later the Norgard, and now this Söderlind. Wow! Positively impressed. It definitely shares the Kielland depiction of something lugubrious, ghostly, raw and cold but with energy enough. Very Sibelian and Brian-like at times. Thanks for sharing it!

Edit: Finishing... oh God! This is mandatory stuff! Wonderful find!!

Very glad you enjoyed it.  He's since completed his 9th symphony which is an epic hour long choral symphony and a two hour oratorio I wish could be heard.  Neither has been performed.  >:(

Christo

Quote from: relm1 on August 28, 2019, 03:48:13 PM
Norwegian composer Ragnar Söderlind (b. 1945) Symphony No.8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr5oA_cyfZk
Impressive! Many thanks for posting it (about 25 years ago there was an interview with Söderlind in the Gramophone that made his music look very tempting; the earlier symphonies available at that time didn't fulful that promise IMHO, but this one does!).
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

vandermolen

Quote from: relm1 on August 28, 2019, 03:48:13 PM
Norwegian composer Ragnar Söderlind (b. 1945) Symphony No.8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr5oA_cyfZk
What a marvellous discovery! Thanks so much for posting it. I totally agree with Cesar and Johan. It gets better and better, in my opinion, as the symphony progresses so that, by the end I was both gripped and moved by it. In fact I had to repeat the last seven minutes as soon as I heard it. Soderlind's 8th Symphony reminded me, in a way, of the Symphony 2 by Vasks, especially those very moving final pages. I have some Soderlind on an old Norwegian composers CD and I must look it out - although I don't remember it making as nearly as much an impression on me as Symphony No.8. I hope that it is released on CD one day as it needs to be heard. Also, what a great tribute to Sibelius!
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

relm1

#84
Quote from: relm1 on August 28, 2019, 03:48:13 PM
Norwegian composer Ragnar Söderlind (b. 1945) Symphony No.8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr5oA_cyfZk

Now you guys are making me need to relisten to my recommendation again because I forgot what it sounds like only remembering that I'm a fan of the composer and follow him closely enjoying everything I've heard of his so thanks again for the recommendation, relm1, because now I get to rediscover why I liked it in the first place since I forgot why!

He sounds like a very modest man and I wish he knew his music was appreciated.  He said this:

Hello Relm1, You are the first who have contacted me after I joined Linkedin. I am grateful for your support to my self-confidence. After many years with much resistance to my music here in Norway, I had almost drawn myself back from the public. In spite of this, I have been very productive. I have of course planned my Sinfonia X. But I am now in  short of shorter orchestral pieces  So I plan it to be a one movement symphony of about 20 minutes.

Best wishes, Ragnar


Since that brief exchange, he had completed the hour long 9th symphony.

vandermolen

#85
Quote from: relm1 on September 17, 2019, 06:08:05 AM
Now you guys are making me need to relisten to my recommendation again because I forgot what it sounds like only remembering that I'm a fan of the composer and follow him closely enjoying everything I've heard of his so thanks again for the recommendation, relm1, because now I get to rediscover why I liked it in the first place since I forgot why!

He sounds like a very modest man and I wish he knew his music was appreciated.  He said this:

Hello Relm1, You are the first who have contacted me after I joined Linkedin. I am grateful for your support to my self-confidence. After many years with much resistance to my music here in Norway, I had almost drawn myself back from the public. In spite of this, I have been very productive. I have of course planned my Sinfonia X. But I am now in  short of shorter orchestral pieces  So I plan it to be a one movement symphony of about 20 minutes.

Best wishes, Ragnar


Since that brief exchange, he had completed the hour long 9th symphony.
How nice! He sounds like a very engaging individual.

By the way I had a very nice email exchange with Stale Kleiberg, the composer of the hauntingly atmospheric 'Bell Reef Symphony'.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

relm1

I really loved Harald Sæverud's Symphony No. 9, especially the Per Drier/RPO performance if you can find it.  If you like Nielsen or Hindemith, you'll find much to love in this composer but I found this performance of his Symphony No. 9 particularly excellent though hard to find.


kyjo

#87
Lately the music of Eyvind Alnæs (1872-1932) has meant a lot to me. His two symphonies and Piano Concerto are marvelous works, unflaggingly and memorably melodic throughout, gorgeously orchestrated, and full of emotional depth in the slow movements. I'm sure even Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff would be green with envy at some of Alnæs' melodic ideas! In fact, just listen to the gorgeous secondary theme of the finale of the Piano Concerto and tell me Rachmaninoff didn't steal it for that famous 18th Variation (written some 20 years later)! It's really a pity the man was not more prolific; I would've loved some chamber works by him. That said, there are some songs and piano music that I haven't investigated yet. The below recordings have offered me immense pleasure:



(BTW, the Symphony on the LAWO disc is No. 1.)

Simply put, if you love late romantic orchestral music, you can't afford to pass Alnæs by. This is music comparable with the greats, on any level.
"Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" - Sergei Rachmaninoff

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: kyjo on October 06, 2020, 07:58:08 PM
Lately the music of Eyvind Alnæs (1872-1932) has meant a lot to me. His two symphonies and Piano Concerto are marvelous works, unflaggingly and memorably melodic throughout, gorgeously orchestrated, and full of emotional depth in the slow movements. I'm sure even Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff would be green with envy at some of Alnæs' melodic ideas! In fact, just listen to the gorgeous secondary theme of the finale of the Piano Concerto and tell me Rachmaninoff didn't steal it for that famous 18th Variation (written some 20 years later)! It's really a pity the man was not more prolific; I would've loved some chamber works by him. That said, there are some songs and piano music that I haven't investigated yet. The below recordings have offered me immense pleasure:



(BTW, the Symphony on the LAWO disc is No. 1.)

Simply put, if you love late romantic orchestral music, you can't afford to pass Alnæs by. This is music comparable with the greats, on any level.

Today I relistened to the Piano Concerto (being the first time a long while ago) from the LAWO disc. Now I understand your advocacy for that work, Kyle. This is major stuff, a thoroughly inspired work for both piano and orchestra, imbued with grandeur, nobility, great melodies and that unmistakable "Nordic" feel to it. Actually it reminded me of composers such as Stenhammar, Svendsen, Tchaikovsky and even Sibelius. I really loved it and it could be one of my favorite PCs from now on.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Pohjolas Daughter

I'll have to take a good look at this thread as I realize (looking through things) that I'm not very familiar with much Norwegian classical music.   :(

Some whose works I've explored to various degrees:

Grieg - ✔️
Ole Bull - his violin concerto ✔️
Johan Svendsen ✔️

Believe that that is it?  :-[

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

André

Kjell Mørk Karlsen is a very interesting composer I've discored in the past couple of years. His music can be sampled here: https://kmkarlsen.no/discography/

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on December 04, 2020, 05:12:01 AM
I'll have to take a good look at this thread as I realize (looking through things) that I'm not very familiar with much Norwegian classical music.   :(

Some whose works I've explored to various degrees:

Grieg - ✔️
Ole Bull - his violin concerto ✔️
Johan Svendsen ✔️

Believe that that is it?  :-[

PD

Try Halvorsen, Irgens-Jensen, the magnificent Sinfonia I by Olav Kielland, Geirr Tveitt, the lovely CD devoted to Holter's works (a recent find), Klauss Egge (another outstanding composer), Christian Sinding, Eyvind Alnaes (absolutely great piece the PC is), Alf Hurum, Knut Nystedt, Finn Mortensen (Sinfonia!), Ola Gjeilo (contemporary bliss choral compositions, mostly), Edvard Fliflet Braein (don't miss his CD devoted to his three symphonies, a fantastic new discovery too!), Ragnar Soderlind, Harald Saeverud (a tougher one, albeit he deserves to be mentioned here), etc.

There is a big world of stunning music awaiting for you!
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

Pohjolas Daughter

Thank you André and S.A.!  Will note them down.   :)

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

relm1

Quote from: André on December 04, 2020, 05:40:08 AM
Kjell Mørk Karlsen is a very interesting composer I've discored in the past couple of years. His music can be sampled here: https://kmkarlsen.no/discography/

Did you see my post where I included his excellent Symphony No. 2?

André

Quote from: relm1 on December 04, 2020, 04:09:52 PM
Did you see my post where I included his excellent Symphony No. 2?

Hmmm... no  :-X. Where is it ? I have 4 discs of Karlsen's music - for organ, choir, orchestra (incl. the symphony no 3) and chamber music. But no symphony no 2.

Christo

Quote from: Symphonic Addict on December 04, 2020, 09:27:42 AM
Try Halvorsen, Irgens-Jensen, the magnificent Sinfonia I by Olav Kielland, Geirr Tveitt, the lovely CD devoted to Holter's works (a recent find), Klauss Egge (another outstanding composer), Christian Sinding, Eyvind Alnaes (absolutely great piece the PC is), Alf Hurum, Knut Nystedt, Finn Mortensen (Sinfonia!), Ola Gjeilo (contemporary bliss choral compositions, mostly), Edvard Fliflet Braein (don't miss his CD devoted to his three symphonies, a fantastic new discovery too!), Ragnar Soderlind, Harald Saeverud (a tougher one, albeit he deserves to be mentioned here), etc.

There is a big world of stunning music awaiting for you!
Am about half-way this great list, hope to use it for further exploration. Kielland being the first to continue with. (Love Ola Gjeilo too, especially since my choir chose to sing some of his highlights - and he responded himself with enthusiasm on Twitter).  :)
... music is not only an 'entertainment', nor a mere luxury, but a necessity of the spiritual if not of the physical life, an opening of those magic casements through which we can catch a glimpse of that country where ultimate reality will be found.    RVW, 1948

vandermolen

#96
Just bought this cheaply second-hand online:

I see that Leo (Cato) rates Valen very highly (or at least did in 2011).
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

André

Quote from: vandermolen on December 05, 2020, 07:54:20 AM
Just bought this cheaply second-hand online:

I see that Leo (Cato) rates Valen very highly (or at least did in 2011).

I'm curious to know what you make of him, Jeffrey.

vandermolen

Quote from: André on December 05, 2020, 08:04:39 AM
I'm curious to know what you make of him, Jeffrey.
Of course André.
:)
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

MusicTurner

#99
Valen is an interesting fellow, cf. my current avatar, however I haven't found the symphonies that easy nuts to crack ... I visited his museum villa in Valevåg some years ago, and walked to the forested, remote coastal cemetery, that in parts inspired a symphonic poem of his, Le Cimetiere Marin. Gradually, more recordings of his music are appearing now (except from any of his 10s of 1000s of piano etudes, I think almost all, or simply all, works have been recorded), and this will help understanding more possibilities in it; for example, some pianists add more romanticism to the piano music, others prefer a cooler, objective attitude. The two concertos, the piano music, the chamber music, and Sonetto di Michelangelo are, maybe, the easiest introduction ...