Scandinavian and Finnish composers.

[Dundonnell]

Colin (Dundonnell) made me buy this CD (at enormous personal expense I point out) but it was worth it. A GREAT CD. The absolutely beautiful slow movement of Simonsensen's Symphony No 2 "Hellas" had me in tears (not necessarily a difficult thing in itself ) and I am delighted to be introduced to this great composer - I know that I look out for 'undeservedly neglected composers' - but I really think that this is something quite special. The symphonies, from the 1920s do show the influence of Simonsen's great compatriot - Nielsen, and Respighi at times, but he is his own man too. Like Braga Santos (remember him?  ) Simonsen made no effort to promote his own music, preferring to concentrate on his work as a teacher and educator and in spending his time reading the work of philosophers like Spinoza. He sounds an endearing character (sadly there is no photo of him in the CPO booklet). "He had a fluent command of Greek, Latin and Hebrew...[and remained]...a somewhat unpractical person." As a Danish Jew he had to flee, with his family, to Sweden in 1943 (the Danes, were the only country to make any serious effort to save their jews from extermination at the hands of the Nazis) - but he never recovered from this and died "prematurely aged" at aged 58 in 1947.

I think that he is a great composer.

OH YES!!!

I agree with absolutely everything Jeffrey as said! What a discovery! Amazingly good music! Beautiful, moving, dramatic, melodious. One of the finest Danish composers of his generation. How could music like this have lain unplayed for so long? Once again, a HUGE thank you to CPO for resurrecting it

Yes, Simonsen is influenced by Nielsen but there are clear echoes of the glorious rich hieratic sounds of Respighi and Bloch too. The slow movements of both symphonies are profoundly moving. I listened to the first movement of No.1 thinking that the music was lively but not overly distinctive but was then astounded by the slow-moving grandeur of the slow movement(which the programme note author correctly compares to Nielsen's 'Helios' Overture). What a tragedy that Toscanini-who expressed an interest in the score-never got the chance to perform the piece!

For Nielsen lovers....oh, and Braga Santos lovers too ...this is a must!

[vandermolen]

OH YES!!!

I agree with absolutely everything Jeffrey as said! What a discovery! Amazingly good music! Beautiful, moving, dramatic, melodious. One of the finest Danish composers of his generation. How could music like this have lain unplayed for so long? Once again, a HUGE thank you to CPO for resurrecting it

Yes, Simonsen is influenced by Nielsen but there are clear echoes of the glorious rich hieratic sounds of Respighi and Bloch too. The slow movements of both symphonies are profoundly moving. I listened to the first movement of No.1 thinking that the music was lively but not overly distinctive but was then astounded by the slow-moving grandeur of the slow movement(which the programme not author correctly compares to Nielsen's 'Helios' Overture). What a tragedy that Toscanini-who expressed an interest in the score-never got the chance to perform the piece!

For Nielsen lovers....oh, and Braga Santos lovers too ...this is a must!

Very glad Colin that you share my view of Simonsen - and thanks to you for alerting us to this release. He was, I agree, a great composer. This is a very happy discovery 

[Christo]

And plenty of non-saxons living in North America 

Generalizations often occur when you imagine NA from a european POV  .

Ah! Yes, we often forget to take into account the feelings of the aboriginal populations of the Anglo-Saxon colonies and that they don't consider themselves "Anglo-Saxons", like their masters. Apologies to e.g. those living in Scotland or Québec, to mention just two random examples. 

(Being indeed a Low Saxon myself, I find it hard not to identify automatically with my brethren across the seas. Nonetheless, they could better their spelling of Scandinavian names.) 

[Lilas Pastia]

I'm afraid you don't know what you're talking about, my friend. Aboriginal populations?  FYI the 6 million French speaking inhabitants of Quebec and their same number scattered across Canada and the United States are neither aboriginal nor Anglo-Saxons. And we certainly don't know of any masters. Pheeew!

[Dundonnell]

Just to step into this tangential discussion -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Canadian

[vandermolen]

Colin, Nielsen's 'Helios' comparison with slow movement of Simonsen's 'Zion' Symphony - absolutely spot on - can't think why I didn't notice this before. Bloch/Respighi - yes, but what a great composer.
Great cover art too.

[Christo]

I'm afraid you don't know what you're talking about, my friend. Aboriginal populations?  FYI the 6 million French speaking inhabitants of Quebec and their same number scattered across Canada and the United States are neither aboriginal nor Anglo-Saxons. And we certainly don't know of any masters. Pheeew!

Yes indeed. I was referring to these French-speaking aboriginals as well. Over here, we encounter a similar phenomenon in the southern parts of Belgium.  Wonderful that these people were able to preserve their language! (Le Quebec aux Quebecquois et le paradis a la fin de vos jours!)  

Jeffrey, Colin: I'm won over, finally convinced. Simonsen is on my list now! 

[The new erato]

Simonsen is on my list now! 

Not on mine - since it's not even on the pre-release lists in the UK yet (where I do most of my Internet CD shopping).

[Christo]

Not on mine - since it's not even on the pre-release lists in the UK yet (where I do most of my Internet CD shopping).

One doesn't buy CPO in the UK on principle.  For CPO, only JPC in Germany will do. At present on offer:

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Rudolph-Simonsen-Symphonien-Nr-1-2/hnum/9784248

[The new erato]

One doesn't buy CPO in the UK on principle.  For CPO, only JPC in Germany will do. At present on offer:

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Rudolph-Simonsen-Symphonien-Nr-1-2/hnum/9784248

Well presumably it will be much cheaper on mdt, full price cpo currently available at 9 GBP - and less freight as well, minimum at cpo is 6 E IIRC, one disc at mdt is GBP 1,50...... 

[Benji]

Is CPO not stocked by MDT anymore then? I didn't think i'd seen any of their releases on the lists recently. And here I was happily waiting for another release in the Sallinen edition and i've probably missed some...

[The new erato]

Is CPO not stocked by MDT anymore then? I didn't think i'd seen any of their releases on the lists recently. And here I was happily waiting for another release in the Sallinen edition and i've probably missed some...

Oh yes they are, though obviously cpo releases a little late in the UK. I need the latest Sallinen as well, I've been following the series and find it very fine.

[The new erato]

Colin, Nielsen's 'Helios' comparison with slow movement of Simonsen's 'Zion' Symphony - absolutely spot on - can't think why I didn't notice this before. Bloch/Respighi - yes, but what a great composer.
Great cover art too.

Have you read Hurwitz on this?

http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=12136

[Dundonnell]

Have you read Hurwitz on this?

http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=12136

I would like to say something really rude but habitual good manners deter me from expressing just exactly what I think of his bilge!

[Dundonnell]

I have just ordered a couple of symphonies on Ondine by a Finnish composer called Tauno Marttinen(1912-2008). Apparently he wrote ten symphonies in total.

Anyone familiar with him? Matti?

[matti]

Anyone familiar with him? Matti?

Nope. Many of you are much better informed of Finnish music than I am. Marttinen I know by name, and I know he composed some operas which I have not heard. That he composed also symphonies is news to me. Hope you'll enjoy them!

[J]

I have just ordered a couple of symphonies on Ondine by a Finnish composer called Tauno Marttinen(1912-2008). Apparently he wrote ten symphonies in total.

Anyone familiar with him? Matti?

I'm only aware of the BIS CD with Symphonies 1&8 and haven't played the music in years, but my recollection isn't
favorable, - though perhaps that little crumb is worse than nothing if it turns your anticipatory excitement into dread.

[Dundonnell]

I'm only aware of the BIS CD with Symphonies 1&8 and haven't played the music in years, but my recollection isn't
favorable, - though perhaps that little crumb is worse than nothing if it turns your anticipatory excitement into dread.

BIS yes...not Ondine. Oh dear!

[J]

BIS yes...not Ondine. Oh dear!

Remember Stanley Bate though, Colin, - where you loved every second of what I found second-rate.

[Guido]

I would like to say something really rude but habitual good manners deter me from expressing just exactly what I think of his bilge!

Ah, Go on, let rip! Treat yourself!

This CD is £17 on amazon!!  what, how, why??