Scandinavian and Finnish composers.

[uffeviking]

One more Danish opera: Poul Ruders The Handmaids Tale, this one too has Poul Elming.

[Harry]

Danish Operas! Peter Heise composed this one and I love it:

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Drilldown?name_id1=5230&name_role1=1&bcorder=1&comp_id=200314

Great tale of Danish history and sung splendidly by Poul Elming in the main role. Of course Harry would not have it in his collection because it is an opera! 

Well I do my best you know, but Rome was not build in one day, now is it?

[Marple]

I love his organ masterpiece 'Messis' but the opera 'Antikrist' is not a work I've taken to (but this can change).

Jezetha: Great to meet another Langgaard fan! My nickname might give you a hint, there aren't many Danish composers I don't like, but Rued is on top of the list - if only I could come to grips with his Antikrist. If you have figured it all out, please do let me in on it. - Our fellow poster Springrite will be happy too! -

My favorite Langgaard is his Sfærernes Musik and just for fun and entertainment his Insektarium part of his piano collection. 

Hello Jezetha and uffeviking! I'm also a Rued fan! I just love his music and especially his Antikrist! I watched it on DVD from Dacapo not long ago, and it really helped me to understand this difficult piece. And now I LOVE IT!
Antikrist DVD (Dacapo) with Thomas Dausgaard (conductor): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Antikrist-Rued-Langgaard/dp/B0009X24RK/ref=sr_1_1/202-5853151-8799824?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1185779222&sr=8-1

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Hello, Marple (and uffeviking)!

Great that you have 'cracked' 'Antikrist'! Could you tell us more?... I really should give the work another chance. It's been, say, ten years I listened to the first recording (borrowed from a library, but I didn't rip it...) and couldn't get into it. Now that I'm older and wiser (dream on, Jez!) it should be easier to understand. Perhaps. There was something in the use of the human voice which didn't attract me.

Ah well, I'll just have to watch the DVD then, if seeing the opera makes such a difference... 

[Marple]

Hi Jez!

What would you like to know?
To me it made a big difference to watch the DVD. You should do so! It's a brilliant performing!

Antikrist is a bit odd, I know! It's not a 'real' opera. And what is it about? I don't know if I've 'cracked' the meaning of the opera (but indeed I think so! ) I just love it now!

Have you heard his Symphony no. 6 "Det Himmelrivende" (The Heaven-Rending). Here he uses some of the themes from Antikrist. If not, I can recommend it!

Good luck!

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Hi, Marple!

I know 'Det Himmelrivende' well. I also have the Prelude to 'Antikrist', so I heard the similarities.

I think I'll have to order the DVD, as I said. The story, after some researching the last few hours, seems much clearer to me now than it was ten years ago. So I won't ask you to re-tell it 

[Marple]

Hi, Marple!

I know 'Det Himmelrivende' well. I also have the Prelude to 'Antikrist', so I heard the similarities.

I think I'll have to order the DVD, as I said. The story, after some researching the last few hours, seems much clearer to me now than it was ten years ago. So I won't ask you to re-tell it 

I appreciate it!

[uffeviking]

I don't know if I've 'cracked' the meaning of the opera (but indeed I think so! ) I just love it now!

'Loving' an opera does not necessarily mean one is 'understanding' it, especially a work as complicated as Antikrist with heavy religious influences, fundamental ones, and possibly dealing with religious customs in a foreign country! (I am not Danish.)

[bhodges]

One more Danish opera: Poul Ruders The Handmaids Tale, this one too has Poul Elming.

Another strong "yes" to this one, a very powerful opera (based on the Margaret Atwood novel).

--Bruce

[Lilas Pastia]

'Loving' an opera does not necessarily mean one is 'understanding' it, especially a work as complicated as Antikrist with heavy religious influences, fundamental ones, and possibly dealing with religious customs in a foreign country! (I am not Danish.)

This is very true, but understanding dramatically increases the appreciation (which is why a libretto and translation is so important). I can't say I "understand" Antikrist (maybe only the composer did and ever will?), but I certainly love it !!

[uffeviking]

Just one clue, please, André: Is it about a religious community, a very small private sect? An aberrant branch of a big religious denomination? Maybe I can take it from there! 

[Lilas Pastia]

I think it's an allegory. Antichrist is a character that is portrayed (but not named as such) in the Book of Revelation (Apocalypse). He wreaks havoc on earth by - among other things - taking the world over and forcing everybody to bear a mark (the infamous 666). In another portion of Revelation, the Letters to 7 Churches, there's another allegory which may represent either the future of the Church through the ages, and/or the various states of sin, unbelief or even apostasy that the Church (assembly of believers) will go through. All of which boils down to a big facedown between God and the Antichrist.

I found this link to be quite useful. It's a no-nonsense assessment of the work and its possible significance through some of its characters. The whole thing reminds me of the way such "moral-concepts-as-literary-or-operatic-characters are portrayed in The Pilgrim's Progress.

[Grazioso]

An area I'm having fun exploring. One extremely useful resource is the Finnish Music Information Centre: http://www.fimic.fi/

A few exciting composers off the beaten path that I've greatly enjoyed so far:

Allan Pettersson: massive symphonies that are dark, introspective, violent, yet suffused with moments of tremendous beauty and marked, at their best, by a beautiful sense of unfolding, organic growth. Afaik, seven of the symphonies are available on the BIS label and a complete set on cpo:



Leevi Madetoja, a contemporary of Sibelius with a notable Gallic influence and considerable melodic gift. The Alba label offers a series of his complete orchestral works. Chandos offers his symphonies and a few other works in one convenient package:



Einojuhani Rautavaara, one of Finland's most well-known contemporary composers, who deftly blends serialism and Romanticism, bleak Nordic soundscapes with lush impressionism:

[Greta]

An area I'm having fun exploring. One extremely useful resource is the Finnish Music Information Centre: http://www.fimic.fi/

Me too! Hard to put my finger on exactly why, but I am quite entranced by the music of this region, somehow I find it very easy to connect to. Abstract and introspective yet beautiful and provoking.

The FIMIC website is excellent, there is also a music player embedded there with searchable full-length tracks from many composers, right now I am enjoying Jouni Kaipainen's choral piece, Des Flusses Stimme.

Here is a list of composers with links to info on each:

http://www.fimic.fi/fimic/fimic.nsf/naviframe?readform&f=composersbyname?openview&m=1.2&ct=0

[Dundonnell]

I rank many Scandinavian composers amongst my favourite composers. There is seldom any frivolity in Scandinavian music. It seems to breathe the clear air of the northern regions whilst at the same time frequently evoking in my mind the brooding intensity of the wonderful scenery of those countries-particularly the forests and the lakes. I have only once(briefly) managed to cross into Finland but have visited Sweden and Norway many times and love both countries. My father visited Finland in 1937 and had an introduction(from the future President of Finland, Marshal Mannerheim) to visit Sibelius but-for whatever reason-didn't make the visit!

Can I throw another Finn into the mix? Aaare Merikanto(1893-1958). Merikanto is a fascinating figure who has not received his due, I believe, even from the Finns themselves. He went through a 'radical' phase in the 1920s which led to his music being ignored or abused and this critical reaction had a profound impact on his future career with many of his works being destroyed by the composer(for example the Violin Concerto No.3). He also struggled with drink and drug problems. Merikanto's only opera "Juha" was rejected by the Finnish Opera and never performed in his lifetime. In the second half of his life he moved away from the earlier radicalism for reasons that are the subject of some debate.
There is an Ondine CD containing Merikanto's Piano Concerto No.2 and Piano Concerto No.3 and a very useful Finlandia CD in that label's estimable 'Meet the Composer' series which features the Violin Concerto No.2, Violin Concerto No.4 and the fascinating 'radical' scores from the 1920s: Fantasy for Orchestra, Pan, and the Symphonic Study. It would be interesting however to hear more from Merikanto's earlier, romantic period-the first and second symphonies(the third dates from 1953), the lst Violin Concerto and 1st Cello Concerto(the 2nd Cello Concerto is a later work again).
The Finns have been enormously successful at promoting their composers abroad through the medium of CD-I am thinking of Kokkonen, Rautavaara, Sallinen, Englund, Klami, Madetoja, Melartin and Aho for example. May be Merikanto deserves more exposure now?

[Lilas Pastia]

Just purchased: complete violin and piano works of Emil Sjögren. This is one of the rare corners of scandinaviana I haven't explored yet. I know and love the works of Stenhammar, Aulin, Haquinius and Olsson, all swedish composers influenced by him one way or another.

[Varg]

Has anyone mentioned Segerstam? Schnittke and Pettersson enthousiasts should definately check him out. I just listened to his 17th symphony; really powerful, untraditionnal music. Sounds like a Schnittke-Pettersson-Penderecki-Pärt blend (look for his "Segerstam Chamber Music- Leif Live In Paris" and 17th symphony CDs). Another land for you to explore, Harry!

[matti]

Another land for you to explore, Harry!

And not a small one. He had composed 185 symphonies by August 8th this year. I'm sure there are quite a few more now, heck, it's late October!

[Varg]

And not a small one. He had composed 185 symphonies by August 8th this year. I'm sure there are quite a few more now, heck, it's late October!

Fortunately (for Harry's wallet!!) most of his works hasn't been recorded yet; in fact, i know of only a few.

[rubio]

I would like to check out the composer Hugo Alfven. I see they have the Neemi Jarvi recordings of the symphonies 1-2-4-5 at my local library. Do you have a recommendation on which symphony I should check out first? What do you think of the merits of this composer?