Scandinavian and Finnish composers.

Started by Harry, April 13, 2007, 05:33:51 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

The new erato

Norway was reasonably late in buildng up many musical institutions, looking to Copenhagen, Stockholm and Leipzig instead. I think this has someting to do with it.

Lilas Pastia

Otto Olsson is a composer I like very much. His music is like no-one else's. I particularly like his beautiful, reflective organ pieces and his choral works (Te Deum and Requiem). I like his symphony, but his best abilities were fired by his duties as organist of the Stockholm cathedral.

The new erato

Quote from: Lilas Pastia on December 12, 2008, 03:32:39 PM
Otto Olsson is a composer I like very much. His music is like no-one else's. I particularly like his beautiful, reflective organ pieces and his choral works (Te Deum and Requiem). I like his symphony, but his best abilities were fired by his duties as organist of the Stockholm cathedral.
Reminds me of the Norwegian Ole Olsen (1850 - 1927), who wrote a once very popular "Liten suite". He also wrote several operas (Svein Uræd, Lajla).

Dundonnell

#463
I see that CPO have scheduled a cd release for next month of the 1st and 2nd Symphonies of the Swedish composer, Natanael Berg(1879-1957)-conductor Ari Rasilainen.

Berg was-as far as I know-the only composer who doubled as a vet ;D He worked for many years as a veterinary officer attached to the Swedish Army, liked wearing his army uniform and frequently conducted in it. He was a close friend and near contemporary of Kurt Atterberg, shared with him and with Wilhelm Peterson-Berger a persona noted for irrascibility, and a musical style noted for its adherence to late romanticism.

Berg and Atterberg both wrote symphonies in 1918 as a bet to try to dispel the notion that all Swedish symphonies had to be gloomy-Atterberg produced his Symphony No.4 'Sinfonia Piccola' and Berg the Symphony No.4 'Pezzo Sinfonica'. The Berg has been recorded twice; there is a Sterling cd with a recording dating from 1976 and a more modern Phono Suecia-
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classRev/2003/Sept03/natanael_berg.htm

I have the Sterling version and would agree with the Musicweb reviewer that the piece is pleasant and undemanding. I wonder however whether it is typical of Berg's output. The Symphony No.1 is subtitled "Everything that is created comes to an end' and was influenced by the sinking of the 'Titanic', so is unlikely to be a particularly cheery work, while the Symphony No.2 is called 'The Seasons'(1913 and 1916). There are five symphonies in total.

Once again(!) CPO looks as if it is embarking on a complete cycle of a Swedish composer's symphonies :) Peterson-Berger, Rangstrom, Atterberg, Wiren, Pettersson have all enjoyed the CPO treatment, with Kallstenius to come shortly. It does tend to put BIS to shame!
Although the Swedish company has recorded the symphonies of Alfven, Nystroem, Larsson and Blomdahl the last two of these were a long time ago now. In recent years BIS has concentrated more on Scandinavian composers like Holmboe, Saeverud and Valen.

Hats off to CPO for their continuing enterprise(not to mention what the company has begun doing for Dutch composers!).....but why, oh why Berg and not Rosenberg????

J.Z. Herrenberg

Quote from: Dundonnell on December 21, 2008, 11:12:21 AM
The Symphony No.1 is subtitled "Everything that is created comes to an end' and was influenced by the sinking of the 'Titanic', so is unlikely to be a particularly cheery work

Don't underestimate Swedish humour.

Thanks for the information, Colin. Never heard of Natanael Berg, only Alban.
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato

The new erato

Quote from: Dundonnell on December 21, 2008, 11:12:21 AM
Although the Swedish company has recorded the symphonies of Alfven, Nystroem, Larsson and Blomdahl the last two of these were a long time ago now. In recent years BIS has concentrated more on Scandinavian composers like Holmboe, Saeverud and Valen.


Don't forget Stenhammer.

But why, oh why Berg and not add the Roses?

Dundonnell

Quote from: erato on December 21, 2008, 01:18:18 PM
Don't forget Stenhammer.

But why, oh why Berg and not add the Roses?


I meant to add Stenhammer but, again, it's a long time since BIS recorded his music.

Dundonnell

Quote from: Jezetha on December 21, 2008, 11:30:45 AM
Don't underestimate Swedish humour.

Thanks for the information, Colin. Never heard of Natanael Berg, only Alban.

"Swedish humour" ???

Let me try to get my head round that concept, Johan ;D

Lilas Pastia

It's Stenhammar.

Listened to this week: Avalon, a short symphonic poem for soprano and orchestra, as well as symphonies 2 and 3 by the danish composer Peder Gram (1881-1956). I have no hesitation in hailing Avalon and the first half of symphony 2 as remarkable accomplishments. I'm not so sure about the rest, but further acquaintance may prove me wrong. In short: symphony 2 is a non-conventional five sections work played continuously. The first three are short and utterly captivating in their originality. The rest attempts to achieve a 'symphonic' working out of the material, but I find it more conventional. Symphony 3 sounds good without scaling the heights. Its three substantial movements have the weigth and breadth of utterance of a real symphony. I'll have to give it a few more spins to figure out if the thematic material is 'very good' or 'merely serviceable'. It was late last night, and I wouldn't want to form a definite opinion based on that single hearing.

Avalon is a big (less than 6 minutes) miniature masterpiece. It held me entranced fromf first note to last. Brilliant orchestration. 

Brian

Quote from: Dundonnell on December 21, 2008, 11:12:21 AM
I see that CPO have scheduled a cd release for next month of the 1st and 2nd Symphonies of the Swedish composer, Natanael Berg(1879-1957)-conductor Ari Rasilainen.

Berg was-as far as I know-the only composer who doubled as a vet ;D He worked for many years as a veterinary officer attached to the Swedish Army, liked wearing his army uniform and frequently conducted in it. He was a close friend and near contemporary of Kurt Atterberg, shared with him and with Wilhelm Peterson-Berger a persona noted for irrascibility, and a musical style noted for its adherence to late romanticism.

Berg and Atterberg both wrote symphonies in 1918 as a bet to try to dispel the notion that all Swedish symphonies had to be gloomy-Atterberg produced his Symphony No.4 'Sinfonia Piccola' and Berg the Symphony No.4 'Pezzo Sinfonica'. The Berg has been recorded twice; there is a Sterling cd with a recording dating from 1976 and a more modern Phono Suecia-
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classRev/2003/Sept03/natanael_berg.htm
That's great news! Any composer who was friends with Atterberg, who exhibits a sense of humor, and who enables me to say "I listen to Berg" without having to put up with 12-tone  ;D , is a winner in my book!

Dundonnell

Quote from: Lilas Pastia on December 22, 2008, 06:15:40 PM
It's Stenhammar.

Listened to this week: Avalon, a short symphonic poem for soprano and orchestra, as well as symphonies 2 and 3 by the danish composer Peder Gram (1881-1956). I have no hesitation in hailing Avalon and the first half of symphony 2 as remarkable accomplishments. I'm not so sure about the rest, but further acquaintance may prove me wrong. In short: symphony 2 is a non-conventional five sections work played continuously. The first three are short and utterly captivating in their originality. The rest attempts to achieve a 'symphonic' working out of the material, but I find it more conventional. Symphony 3 sounds good without scaling the heights. Its three substantial movements have the weigth and breadth of utterance of a real symphony. I'll have to give it a few more spins to figure out if the thematic material is 'very good' or 'merely serviceable'. It was late last night, and I wouldn't want to form a definite opinion based on that single hearing.

Avalon is a big (less than 6 minutes) miniature masterpiece. It held me entranced fromf first note to last. Brilliant orchestration. 

Apologies to Stenhammar :)

Pleased to hear that you have taken to the Gram :) I agree about Avalon. I did think that the symphonies were more conventional but will listen to them again.

Brünnhilde forever

Discovered this delightful human being while listening to the Kronos Quartet performing a collection of his compositions. This DVD is valuable in learning more about Pelle, what inspires him to let the monster, as he calls music, take complete possession of him, enticing him to a charming solo dance in his home.

Puts a smile on my face from beginning to end!  :)

J

In regards to the Finnish and Norwegian composers could anyone please indicate omissions to the following lists of symphonies I'm aware have been issued on commercial CD?

Finnish

Kalevi Aho 1-5 & 7-12, Einar Englund 1-7, Eero Hammeeniemi 1-3, Paavo Heininen 2&3, Jouni Kaipainen 1-3,
Uuno Klami 1&2, Joonas Kokkonen 1-4, Leevi Madetoja 1-3, Tauno Marttinen 1&8, Erki Melartin 1-6, Ernst Mielck S,
Pehr Henrik Nordgren 3&5 & S for Strings, Einojuhani Rautavaara 1-8, Aulis Sallinen 1-8, Leif Segerstam 9 & 11-18
Jean Sibelius 1-7, Kalervo Tukkanen 3

Norwegian

Conrad Baden 6, Edvard Fliflet Braein 1-3, Bjarne Brustad 2, Edvard Hagerup Bull 1&5, Klaus Egge 1,2 & 4,
Edvard Grieg S, Eivind Groven 1&2, Johann Halvorsen 1-3, Halvor Haug 1-3, Iver Holter 1, Alf Hurum S,
Ludvig Irgens-Jensen S, Hallvard Johnsen 3&13, Kjell Mork Karlsen 3, Olav Kielland 1, Stale Kleiberg 1&2,
Johann Kvandal 2, Harald Lie 2, Sigurd Lie S, Finn Mortensen S, Knut Nystedt S for Strings, S del Mare,
S Apocalypsis Joannis, Harald Saeverud 2-9, Christian Sinding 1-4, Ragnar Soderlind 2-4, Oistein Sommerfeldt S,
Johann Svendsen 1&2, Geirr Tveitt S, Fartein Valen 1-4


Maciek

Quote from: Brünnhilde forever on December 29, 2008, 08:09:38 PM
Discovered this delightful human being while listening to the Kronos Quartet performing a collection of his compositions. This DVD is valuable in learning more about Pelle, what inspires him to let the monster, as he calls music, take complete possession of him, enticing him to a charming solo dance in his home.

Puts a smile on my face from beginning to end!  :)

Sorry, Lis, I don't know how on earth I've managed to miss that post of yours. I refer you to the composer's very own thread.

J.Z. Herrenberg

Quote from: J on February 23, 2009, 11:07:22 AM
In regards to the Finnish and Norwegian composers could anyone please indicate omissions to the following lists of symphonies I'm aware have been issued on commercial CD?

An excellent question for fellow member Dundonnell. But here is a list he compiled with 'gaps in the symphonic repertoire'...:

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,10427.msg258512.html#msg258512
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato

J

Quote from: Jezetha on February 23, 2009, 11:27:33 AM
An excellent question for fellow member Dundonnell. But here is a list he compiled with 'gaps in the symphonic repertoire'...:

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,10427.msg258512.html#msg258512

What I meant to ask (but perhaps wasn't entirely clear in my choice of words) is what other symphonies than those listed have already been issued on CD.

Dundonnell

Quote from: J on February 23, 2009, 11:43:07 AM
What I meant to ask (but perhaps wasn't entirely clear in my choice of words) is what other symphonies than those listed have already been issued on CD.

I am not aware of any other Finnish or Norwegian symphonies available on cd. That does not however mean that there are not others-my tastes do not run to 'modernist' composers ;D

J

Quote from: Dundonnell on February 23, 2009, 02:44:48 PM
I am not aware of any other Finnish or Norwegian symphonies available on cd. That does not however mean that there are not others-my tastes do not run to 'modernist' composers ;D

I'll take that as good evidence I've not likely missed anything that would be of great significance to me.
Have a look at the Danish and Swedish lists shortly.

Lilas Pastia

There's Meriläinen's 3rd symphony on Finlandia.

J

Quote from: Lilas Pastia on February 23, 2009, 03:49:41 PM
There's Meriläinen's 3rd symphony on Finlandia.

You're right, - I found it.  Thanks.