Lepo Sumera

[snyprrr]

It's off to YT to settle the Sumera vs. Tuur Challenge...

[snyprrr]

ok, nevermind.

after only 2 minutes of Symphony 2 and some Piano Cto. I couldn't take it...

A Composer would haaave to be 10 Times Better than Sumera and Tuur combined: who is that?

[Brian]

BIS owner Robert von Bahr once again gets a little too honest on www.eclassical.com...

"Lepo Sumera orchestral music, conducted in Malmö by that budding world star, Paavo Järvi. Lepo was a fellow Estonian, tragically prematurely dead at age 50. I remember him sitting in the control room, which subsequently reeked of alcohol, but so utterly into the procedure, interested and constructive. What a talented composer, such a waste."

[snyprrr]

BIS owner Robert von Bahr once again gets a little too honest on www.eclassical.com...

"Lepo Sumera orchestral music, conducted in Malmö by that budding world star, Paavo Järvi. Lepo was a fellow Estonian, tragically prematurely dead at age 50. I remember him sitting in the control room, which subsequently reeked of alcohol, but so utterly into the procedure, interested and constructive. What a talented composer, such a waste."

Usually they say "He had such potential"- lolz- but, you know? Swedes talk like that- ha! "Yes dear, you DO look fat in that dress, why?"

[calyptorhynchus]

Have to agree with Snyprr, I listened to some Sumera yesterday (the Cello Concerto, 6th Symphony disk) and found the music awful: unmemorable, with no development or counterpoint, meandering and pointless.

[vandermolen]

Have to agree with Snyprr, I listened to some Sumera yesterday (the Cello Concerto, 6th Symphony disk) and found the music awful: unmemorable, with no development or counterpoint, meandering and pointless.

I think that Symphony No.2 is a fine work so don't give up on him before you have heard that one (if you haven't already done so).

[Ken B]

Have to agree with Snyprr, I listened to some Sumera yesterday (the Cello Concerto, 6th Symphony disk) and found the music awful: unmemorable, with no development or counterpoint, meandering and pointless.

I am listening to 6 now. Meandering is a good word. And in a bad way. Kalinnikov's Symphony 1 meanders, but from great melody to great melody, so it's OK. This is just orchestral colour.

[Brian]

I wonder if Sumera's style changed substantially over time. I just listened to Symphonies No. 2 and 3 for the first time, and you can hear the shift there already: No. 2 is much more exciting and dramatic, with bold brass writing and catchy tunes. There's a motoric minimalist/romantic atmosphere that calls to mind Glass and Adams, but Sumera does a good job avoiding minimalist cliches and knowing how to fit the techniques into a greater dramatic structure.

But then I moved on to Symphony No. 3 and, now, the Piano Concerto (written between 3 and 4), and these pieces are more of the "sound effects" school, with atmosphere and sonority aplenty but less dramatic development.

This Guardian obituary is very useful and suggests that I next try the earlyish "Music for Chamber Orchestra".

[Ken B]

I wonder if Sumera's style changed substantially over time. I just listened to Symphonies No. 2 and 3 for the first time, and you can hear the shift there already: No. 2 is much more exciting and dramatic, with bold brass writing and catchy tunes. There's a motoric minimalist/romantic atmosphere that calls to mind Glass and Adams, but Sumera does a good job avoiding minimalist cliches and knowing how to fit the techniques into a greater dramatic structure.

But then I moved on to Symphony No. 3 and, now, the Piano Concerto (written between 3 and 4), and these pieces are more of the "sound effects" school, with atmosphere and sonority aplenty but less dramatic development.

This Guardian obituary is very useful and suggests that I next try the earlyish "Music for Chamber Orchestra".

I am listening to 6 now. Meandering is a good word. And in a bad way. Kalinnikov's Symphony 1 meanders, but from great melody to great melody, so it's OK. This is just orchestral colour.

Something happened. Maybe he got elected. That would explain those otherwise puzzling "Vote no on Beethoven" references in diaries from about 1810.

[Brian]

Of course, it would be easy to blame any decline in the quality of Sumera's work, in the 1990s, on his increasing alcoholism and erratic behavior.

[Mirror Image]

I really like, and enjoy, Sumera's Symphony No. 2. I can't say the rest of his music has caught my attention or at least what has been released on BIS, although I still haven't heard the Mushroom Cantata or Symphony No. 6.

[Turner]

I like Sumera, but certainly not Tüür.
One only stumbles across the BIS recordings and a CD with short movie pieces by him from time to time; no chamber, solo - or much vocal music.

He did indeed get elected in some way; served as a minister of culture in Estonia.
http://www.emic.ee/?sisu=heliloojad&mid=58&id=90&lang=eng&action=view&method=biograafia
http://www.emic.ee/lepo-sumera

Extended discography
http://www.emic.ee/?sisu=heliloojad&mid=58&id=90&lang=eng&action=view&method=diskograafia

 

[relm1]

Wow, not enough love for this very fine composer.  Some of you might enjoy this 70th birthday celebration concert from just a few months ago featuring some of his chamber music performed and moderated by his daughter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xSv1MTKmDI

I miss him and wish he was still with us.

[vandermolen]

Wow, not enough love for this very fine composer.  Some of you might enjoy this 70th birthday celebration concert from just a few months ago featuring some of his chamber music performed and moderated by his daughter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xSv1MTKmDI

I miss him and wish he was still with us.

He died too young. Symphony No.2 is a masterpiece IMO 'Modern music' with a soul. Harry is a fan as well and Christo has met him at one of his famous tea parties. 

[Scion7]

I've tried to give this music a chance several times, but as I would say if I were to wind up on a desert isle with Jenny Tonge: "I can't ..... I just can't."

[vandermolen]

I've tried to give this music a chance several times, but as I would say if I were to wind up on a desert isle with Jenny Tonge: "I can't ..... I just can't."

Have you tried Symphony No.2? I love that work.