Hilding Rosenberg

[Sean]

Thanks pencils.

[pencils]

Pastoral section in the first movement of Symphony 1 is just beautiful. So many colourful sections to this symphony. Wow.

[Sean]

Indeed he's an interesting late romantic; I got hold of a couple of the quartet recordings a few years ago but the Third is my first symphony, to which I'll give its due over the next few days.

[vandermolen]

Make this another person who likes Tubin! Neeme Jarvi's Tubin series is really good but I have yet to hear Arvo Volmer's recordings for the Alba label.

I have both sets. I like the Volmer but if I had to choose one only I'd stick with the Jarvi. The sets do compliment each other in a way. The Volmer recordings are better but the BIS performances are more involving IMHO.

[snyprrr]

Just to be clear, I believe it waaas the String Quartet No.5 that was the most, mm, 'integrated', or 'for easy ears' or what have you.

[pencils]

Just to be clear, I believe it waaas the String Quartet No.5 that was the most, mm, 'integrated', or 'for easy ears' or what have you.

Cheers, my friend. I shall make sure I start with SQ 5 later this evening  ... I am glad I listened to Sean and had Sym. 3 out of my intended listening order 

Is there a Tubin thread in here somewhere?

[pencils]

Ah, so there is. I see it now

[pencils]

Considering I don't usually 'do' choral music quite so much, I have been deeply impacted by the choral elements to Rosenberg's symphonies - am listening again to Symphony No.4 "Johannes uppenbarelse", and the interplay between vocal/choral and the orchestra is outstanding. There is a lyrical beauty and melody that is so immediately engaging, without it being simplistic. Again, it may just be me, and I am happy to continue with ignorance and error as my stock in trade, but there is something of Holmboe in here.

Not bits of him, because that would just be icky.

[Sean]

Hi pencils

Rosenberg has vigorous and purposeful mind, but don't you think this isn't really first-rate music?

From your posts I'm wondering what great Scandinavian music you might know- the Grieg Piano concerto or Sibelius Second symphony, for instance?

[pencils]

Morning Sean

Not first rate music? *holds out warding-off-cross in your general direction* ... ha. I am becoming a big Rosenberg fan, so I am very much enjoying him.

There is a fair bit of Scandinavian/Finnish music that floats my boat. I started with the obvious culprits such as Sibelius (I have worn out the Vänskä and Davis cycles), and the Nielsen (Decca) symphonies, like lots of people, I think. Greatly enjoy everything by Vagn Holmboe, and revisiting Pettersson's symphonies too recently. Other notables at the moment are Per Nørgård (Symph 2 & 3 in particular), loving the melodies of Rangström 2 & 4, Hugo Alfvén in the Naxos cycle, and lots of lovely Langgaard.

[Sean]

Very good. However only Sibelius plus a little Nielsen and even a dash of Alfven is great music, the rest you mention is basically peanuts and only of passing interest...

As for Christian crosses I wouldn't fret too much.

[pencils]

Very good. However only Sibelius plus a little Nielsen and even a dash of Alfven is great music, the rest you mention is basically peanuts and only of passing interest...

As for Christian crosses I wouldn't fret too much.

Hehe. *holds out religious relic of choice*

As always, I am keen to be pointed toward greatness if you can impart some fine new music in my direction ... 

*munches peanuts in meantime*

[snyprrr]

Hehe. *holds out religious relic of choice*

As always, I am keen to be pointed toward greatness if you can impart some fine new music in my direction ... 

*munches peanuts in meantime*

String Quartet No.5?

Dedicated to Sibelius...

[pencils]

String Quartet No.5?

Dedicated to Sibelius...

Surely it is 'peanuts and only of passing interest' 

In seriousness, though, I don't know the SQs at all, beyond the 12th. Worth making a priority investment?

[Sean]

The Holmboe quartets? They find this a sense of gravity but the contrived waywardness eventually tires. I've tried a couple of the Rosenberg and they didn't stay with me.

pencils, pal, you need to focus on the core repertory- get yourself a guidebook instead of just going down your postmodern all options total availability brainless CD store, where you can't tell titanic achievements from peanuts because the CDs are all just sold in the same brainless way, and find out why indeed some music is more important and more recorded than other music.

But I don't care!!

[snyprrr]

Surely it is 'peanuts and only of passing interest' 

In seriousness, though, I don't know the SQs at all, beyond the 12th. Worth making a priority investment?

I thought you had em from your original posts??

[pencils]

The Holmboe quartets? They find this a sense of gravity but the contrived waywardness eventually tires. I've tried a couple of the Rosenberg and they didn't stay with me.

pencils, pal, you need to focus on the core repertory- get yourself a guidebook instead of just going down your postmodern all options total availability brainless CD store, where you can't tell titanic achievements from peanuts because the CDs are all just sold in the same brainless way, and find out why indeed some music is more important and more recorded than other music.

But I don't care!!

Hi Sean

You certainly have an 'interesting' tone.

The thing I love about music listening and collecting, even after 20+ years of doing so, is the breadth of possibilities and material available. In the early years, I avidly purchased the Penguin Guide each year, and bound my copies of Gramophone with a collector's care, and I'm glad I did - particularly when I, like lots do, got sucked into the rather futile obsession with acquiring all 27 DG Mahler symphony cycles from every conceivable conductor, for example. Some works do deserve multiple recordings, though, don't they? Always good to have a library base to go back to - even in these days of forums/groups/facebook/supposed postmodern brainlessness. Equally good to be reminded of 'the big guns' and the need to appreciate those composers and works which are universally acclaimed.

I do, however, appreciate the fluidity of our postmodern culture, where the concept of a core repertory will differ from person to person. Good job we are not all alike.

I thought you had em from your original posts??

Hey, snyprrr

I had intended to go and download a couple of the recorded sets the other day after your recommendation of SQ 5, but got somewhat distracted with other purchases! I need to rectify that by spending yet more money...

[Sean]

Hi pencils, well it was one of my somewhat ranting posts. You know your stuff though, I can see that- you've gone up a few rungs on my ladder. I had the 1984 Penguin and it was enormously useful in identifying core repertory and performances- I wore out my first copy then bought another one, which I still have...

Don't worry about the Mahler cycles and indeed I'm more interested in interpretation these days than getting to know new material, though I still get seduced into exploring stuff. Mahler's very lucky on record too.

The availability today is staggering and fantastic but the huge advantage we had years ago was that the greatest music was presented to us in record stores and you could more innocently build up a real understanding of hierarchies of interconnections across it all.

Availability is only really useful if you know what to do with it... Years back you ordered fringe stuff when you were ready for it and knew what you were doing, not had it stuffed in your face.

[snyprrr]

Hey, snyprrr

I had intended to go and download a couple of the recorded sets the other day after your recommendation of SQ 5, but got somewhat distracted with other purchases! I need to rectify that by spending yet more money...

You need to find the CDCDCD Thread!! look it up, it's for you!!

[pencils]

You need to find the CDCDCD Thread!! look it up, it's for you!!

I am intrigued. I shall do so as soon as I am in front of a (non-work) pc ... thank you