Topic: Halvor Haug(1952-): a Norwegian Robert Simpson?

[Symphonic Addict]

Just great there is a thread about the awesome Halvor Haug. I already knew his dark and gray first symphony. This second one just blew me away. It's incredibly fascinating. This is a must-hear for some whom I'm thinking of right now. One of my most extraordinary finds regarding Scandinavian music. Yes, it's that great! This man is a real master of drama and hair-raising suspense.

This recording couldn't be better. It's an experience.

[Symphonic Addict]

It's on YouTube if you want to give it a listen and be curious.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/xScW7xEEhhk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/xScW7xEEhhk</a>

[André]

I have symphonies 1-3 and various orchestral works, but I last listened to them in september 2016. I can’t honestly say I remember the music  .

[Mirror Image]

I have symphonies 1-3 and various orchestral works, but I last listened to them in september 2016. I can’t honestly say I remember the music  .

One shouldn’t feel bad about not being able to remember a composer’s music, especially when so many of the listeners here at GMG overload on too many composers to the point where I’m not sure if they truly are getting much out of the music. I have slowed down my listening considerably because I actually want to savor the music and get the most out of it I can before moving on to another hundred composers with whom no one has ever heard of. I seriously doubt that some of the listeners here can remember what they heard last month.

[Mirror Image]

As for Cesar’s praise of Haug’s Symphony No. 2, I’ll have to disagree. I listened to about 15 mins of it and I was bored out of my mind. Coming from listening to Hartmann, Haug sounds like a warmed over Holmboe. Nothing special.

[relm1]

Just great there is a thread about the awesome Halvor Haug. I already knew his dark and gray first symphony. This second one just blew me away. It's incredibly fascinating. This is a must-hear for some whom I'm thinking of right now. One of my most extraordinary finds regarding Scandinavian music. Yes, it's that great! This man is a real master of drama and hair-raising suspense.

This recording couldn't be better. It's an experience.

I love No. 1 and 2, they are epic and dramatic symphonies.  No. 3 reminds me more of Pehr Henrik Nordgren and No. 4 and 5 sounded more Swedish angst.  None of that is bad just his music is intense, dark, and angst ridden but very good and I regret he stopped composing but understand he and other tonal or "traditional" composers face huge obstacles in Norway according to them.  Another excellent contemporary Norwegian is Kjell Mork Karlsen who has written 12 very fine symphonies but practically given up on hopes of performances given the attitudes in Norway.  Same with Ragnar Soderlind who has 10 epic symphonies and has complained publicly about the Norwegian attitudes towards contemporary tonal music.  These composers are excellent and deserve to be heard.

[André]

+1

Kjell Mørk Karlsen is one of the finest Norwegian composers I’ve heard. AFAIK his 3rd symphony is the only one that made it to cd. His organ and choral music are particularly fine. I’ve mentioned a few of his discs in 2019-20 in the WAYL2 thread.

[Symphonic Addict]

I love No. 1 and 2, they are epic and dramatic symphonies.  No. 3 reminds me more of Pehr Henrik Nordgren and No. 4 and 5 sounded more Swedish angst.  None of that is bad just his music is intense, dark, and angst ridden but very good and I regret he stopped composing but understand he and other tonal or "traditional" composers face huge obstacles in Norway according to them.  Another excellent contemporary Norwegian is Kjell Mork Karlsen who has written 12 very fine symphonies but practically given up on hopes of performances given the attitudes in Norway.  Same with Ragnar Soderlind who has 10 epic symphonies and has complained publicly about the Norwegian attitudes towards contemporary tonal music.  These composers are excellent and deserve to be heard.

Agreed. By Karlsen I know two string quartets and one of them is very special.

[Symphonic Addict]

As for Cesar’s praise of Haug’s Symphony No. 2, I’ll have to disagree. I listened to about 15 mins of it and I was bored out of my mind. Coming from listening to Hartmann, Haug sounds like a warmed over Holmboe. Nothing special.

If we are gonna talk about boring music, most of Schoenberg, Berg and Webern come to my mind. Boring and awful. To each his own. 

[Mirror Image]

If we are gonna talk about boring music, most of Schoenberg, Berg and Webern come to my mind. Boring and awful. To each his own. 

I dare you say that about Prokofiev or Shostakovich! Because if you did, those would be fighting words! Anyway, just telling you what I heard and why I disagree with your over-the-top exclamatory statements about this particular symphony.

[relm1]

Agreed. By Karlsen I know two string quartets and one of them is very special.

Here is an excerpt of Kjell Mork Karlsen's Symphony No. 2 that has not been released...dramatic and intense.  But apparently too tonal to get released.
http://clyp.it/kwij2xff

[vandermolen]

Here is an excerpt of Kjell Mork Karlsen's Symphony No. 2 that has not been released...dramatic and intense.  But apparently too tonal to get released.
http://clyp.it/kwij2xff

Wow! That's quite something. The organ section reminds me of 'Sinfonia Antartica'. Do you know if a release on CD is planned? Anyway, thanks for posting. As for Haug I have the 'dark and grey' First Symphony but haven't played it for ages. The symphony that I've been most impressed with recently is Ragnar Soderlind 8th Symphony 'In Memory of Sibelius':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr5oA_cyfZk

[relm1]

Wow! That's quite something. The organ section reminds me of 'Sinfonia Antartica'. Do you know if a release on CD is planned? Anyway, thanks for posting. As for Haug I have the 'dark and grey' First Symphony but haven't played it for ages. The symphony that I've been most impressed with recently is Ragnar Soderlind 8th Symphony 'In Memory of Sibelius':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr5oA_cyfZk

No plans...he said no interest in even premieres of some of his symphonies and some have only been performed once by local community orchestras so doesn't do this large stuff any more...now more chamber choral and solo organ with him playing which is about the only way to get it played.  Even the Norwegian music center website has been down for months (I routinely check).  Kind of sad.

[vandermolen]

No plans...he said no interest in even premieres of some of his symphonies and some have only been performed once by local community orchestras so doesn't do this large stuff any more...now more chamber choral and solo organ with him playing which is about the only way to get it played.  Even the Norwegian music center website has been down for months (I routinely check).  Kind of sad.

Yes, very sad indeed but thanks for the update.

[Symphonic Addict]

Here is an excerpt of Kjell Mork Karlsen's Symphony No. 2 that has not been released...dramatic and intense.  But apparently too tonal to get released.
http://clyp.it/kwij2xff

Where did you get this excerpt? Sounds great.

[Christo]

Where did you get this excerpt? Sounds great.

+1