Wilhelm Stenhammar (1871-1927)

Started by Mirror Image, January 24, 2012, 09:10:08 PM

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Mirror Image

Cross-posted from the "Purchases" thread:

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 28, 2015, 06:42:54 AM
Just bought:



Has anyone heard this newer arrival? I listened to a 15 minute preview via NML and was greatly impressed with the rather atmospheric interpretation. A great remedy to Jarvi's already much acclaimed performance (also on BIS).

Lisztianwagner

About Stenhammar's Serenade:

https://www.youtube.com/v/PbcVo7aq9jo

An absolutely brilliant work, I enjoyed it very much! Such wonderful music, very powerful and passionate, but also elegant and poetical; it has a beautiful orchestration, with expressive timbres, harmonic richness and melodic invention. The colourful contrasts of themes creates an imaginative and suggestive atmosphere, in some way less Nordic and more straussian; I particularly loved a middle section introduced by woodwinds, the musical proceeding is so lively and immersive before bursting out into a climax with loud percussion and being followed by a very lyrical, thrilling theme that suddenly develops into a horns solo and, after a brief little climax, fades aways with the strings. Great composition.
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

Mirror Image

Quote from: Lisztianwagner on May 29, 2015, 06:29:42 AM
About Stenhammar's Serenade:

https://www.youtube.com/v/PbcVo7aq9jo

An absolutely brilliant work, I enjoyed it very much! Such wonderful music, very powerful and passionate, but also elegant and poetical; it has a beautiful orchestration, with expressive timbres, harmonic richness and melodic invention. The colourful contrasts of themes creates an imaginative and suggestive atmosphere, in some way less Nordic and more straussian; I particularly loved a middle section introduced by woodwinds, the musical proceeding is so lively and immersive before bursting out into a climax with loud percussion and being followed by a very lyrical, thrilling theme that suddenly develops into a horns solo and, after a brief little climax, fades aways with the strings. Great composition.

It certainly is a brilliant work, Ilaria. I'm glad you enjoyed it! Check out his piano concerti next.

Lisztianwagner

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 29, 2015, 06:39:17 AM
It certainly is a brilliant work, Ilaria. I'm glad you enjoyed it! Check out his piano concerti next.
Thank you, I'll follow your suggestion.
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." - Gustav Mahler

The new erato

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 28, 2015, 07:39:03 AM
Cross-posted from the "Purchases" thread:

Has anyone heard this newer arrival? I listened to a 15 minute preview via NML and was greatly impressed with the rather atmospheric interpretation. A great remedy to Jarvi's already much acclaimed performance (also on BIS).
I have it and have heard it, but cannot offer more than that.

Mirror Image

Quote from: The new erato on May 29, 2015, 08:16:44 AM
I have it and have heard it, but cannot offer more than that.

Hmmmm...care to elaborate whenever you get the chance?

The new erato

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 29, 2015, 08:46:13 AM
Hmmmm...care to elaborate whenever you get the chance?
I might. Not tonight though.

Moonfish

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 28, 2015, 06:58:42 AM
Well, I'd love to see younger people (even younger than me) get into classical music, but this isn't a fantasy world. :) Just imagine if I walked down the street and overheard two 16 year olds discussing the new Stenhammar recording? I would probably faint. ;D

Hmm,
Have you ever walked down the street and heard anybody discuss a new Stenhammar recording?  >:D
"Every time you spend money you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want...."
Anna Lappé

Mirror Image

Quote from: Moonfish on May 29, 2015, 11:54:28 AM
Hmm,
Have you ever walked down the street and heard anybody discuss a new Stenhammar recording?  >:D

Well, I've never walked down the street and heard any composer's music being discussed. :)

Moonfish

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 29, 2015, 12:13:05 PM
Well, I've never walked down the street and heard any composer's music being discussed. :)

:D
Me neither. Apart from people emerging from a concert hall, but I presume that isn't the same as walking down the street..  ::)
"Every time you spend money you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want...."
Anna Lappé

Mirror Image

#50
Quote from: Moonfish on May 29, 2015, 12:24:26 PM
:D
Me neither. Apart from people emerging from a concert hall, but I presume that isn't the same as walking down the street..  ::)

Nope. Not the same thing. :) By the way, Peter, do you know any of Stenhammar's music? If no, then remedy that with Symphony No. 2 in G minor whenever you can. 8)

Moonfish

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 29, 2015, 12:36:35 PM
Nope. Not the same thing. :) By the way, Peter, do you know any of Stenhammar's music? If no, then remedy that with Symphony No. 2 in G minor whenever you can. 8)

Yes, but I haven't journeyed through his works for quite a while. I have the Brilliant set as well as some BIS recordings in my piles. I see that you have virtually triggered a Stenhammar listening trend over the last week!  ;D
"Every time you spend money you are casting a vote for the kind of world you want...."
Anna Lappé

Mirror Image

Quote from: Moonfish on May 29, 2015, 01:48:53 PM
Yes, but I haven't journeyed through his works for quite a while. I have the Brilliant set as well as some BIS recordings in my piles. I see that you have virtually triggered a Stenhammar listening trend over the last week!  ;D

:D

It's hard to ignore Stenhammar's brilliance as a composer. His unique synthesis of Germanic and Nordic music is truly singular. I'm still in the process of getting to know more of his music, but everything I've heard has never been less than good with some works towering over others.

71 dB

Stenhammar!  :P

This damn composer has been haunting in my life for 15 years or so. Long ago I heard his Piano Concerto(s) (which one, both?) on radio. Sounded pretty good. The problem is: I have never bought anything by Stenhammar so he keeps haunting. Every time I try, I get confused and buy something else.

Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

Mirror Image

Quote from: 71 dB on May 30, 2015, 12:54:11 AM
Stenhammar!  :P

This damn composer has been haunting in my life for 15 years or so. Long ago I heard his Piano Concerto(s) (which one, both?) on radio. Sounded pretty good. The problem is: I have never bought anything by Stenhammar so he keeps haunting. Every time I try, I get confused and buy something else.

I don't see how you could get confused about buying any Stenhammar, 71 dB? Anyway, since you're a big Naxos guy, there are plenty of recordings of his music available. Go for it! 8)

71 dB

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 30, 2015, 06:06:16 AM
I don't see how you could get confused about buying any Stenhammar, 71 dB? Anyway, since you're a big Naxos guy, there are plenty of recordings of his music available. Go for it! 8)

The Stenhammar CD (Symphony No. 2 on Naxos) arrived today. I just came home and sauna is 15 minutes away so I have to postpone listening the disc.
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

71 dB

Quote from: 71 dB on June 11, 2015, 08:48:26 AM
The Stenhammar CD (Symphony No. 2 on Naxos) arrived today. I just came home and sauna is 15 minutes away so I have to postpone listening the disc.

Quoting myself. I have heard the disc 3 times now. Nice symphony if not mindblowing. Movements 2 and 4 are the best, especially Finale.  0:)

I think I'll explore Stenhammar more some day, but he is not top priority.
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

vandermolen

The current BBC Music Magazine (October) features a fine CD including Stenhammar's Second Symphony (BBC Scottish SO, Hannu Lintu, live 2015 recording).
"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).

arpeggio

Quote from: vandermolen on August 28, 2015, 10:52:46 PM
The current BBC Music Magazine (October) features a fine CD including Stenhammar's Second Symphony (BBC Scottish SO, Hannu Lintu, live 2015 recording).

I was rummaging through my BBC Music Magazines saw that I had not listened to the CD.  I am listening to it as I am typing this.  This is some really nice music.  I submitted a post in the "Pieces that have blown you away recently" thread about this music.

Mirror Image

Quote from: arpeggio on January 19, 2018, 03:45:38 PM
I was rummaging through my BBC Music Magazines saw that I had not listened to the CD.  I am listening to it as I am typing this.  This is some really nice music.  I submitted a post in the "Pieces that have blown you away recently" thread about this music.

Stenhammar's 2nd is one of the great Swedish symphonies. I don't know how that BBC Music Magazine recording is, but I wholly recommend the Westerberg recording of the 2nd. He also wrote some other nice music, especially the Serenade and SQs. Some of his music is rather forgettable (like his 1st symphony and 1st PC), but he's certainly a composer worth checking out.