Eduard Tubin (1905-82)

Started by vandermolen, March 02, 2008, 01:52:04 AM

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Quote from: foxandpeng on July 07, 2021, 10:40:47 AM
Back in the days of no downloads, having bought the complete symphonies, I remember going and re-purchasing the individual BIS volumes so I could get what I would have described as the 'incidental' music  :). Works such as The Balalaika Concerto, Kratt, Estonian Dances,  were all early companions while I crawled out of complete ignorance to slightly less ignorance. For the sake of really quite happy nostalgia, lots of those works make me smile.

Great to read. I'm less impressed with the Balalaika Concerto and this is mainly because I don't think the instrument warrants it's own concerto, but Tubin made showed me! ;) The Double Bass Concerto is a pretty interesting work, though.

Symphonic Addict

I'm very fond of the two violin concertos, above all the first one, which is quite catchy and memorable. No. 2 is a more earnest composition. But without doubts, the Sinfonietta on Estonian motifs is my favorite orchestral work apart from the symphonies. The tunes there stick in your mind for quite a while.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

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#342
Quote from: Symphonic Addict on July 07, 2021, 11:04:43 AM
I'm very fond of the two violin concertos, above all the first one, which is quite catchy and memorable. No. 2 is a more earnest composition. But without doubts, the Sinfonietta on Estonian motifs is my favorite orchestral work apart from the symphonies. The tunes there stick in your mind for quite a while.

Yes! A big thumbs up for the Sinfonietta on Estonian Motifs. What a fun piece. I'll have to revisit those VCs --- it's just been too long and I don't remember them all that well. A special mention for the Piano Concertino, which is another work outside the afore mentioned favored symphonies that struck a special chord with me.

Brian

To my surprise, my new favorite Tubin piece is the double bass concerto?! The new Rick Stotijn performance on BIS is really excellent, and benefits both from lively tempos - what a fun work - and from a shamelessly spotlit soloist, important to do on a recording since Tubin really incorporates a full orchestra and a lot of material. It's easy to imagine that in a live performance, the bass player would at times be hard to hear.

foxandpeng

Quote from: Brian on July 26, 2021, 06:42:19 AM
To my surprise, my new favorite Tubin piece is the double bass concerto?! The new Rick Stotijn performance on BIS is really excellent, and benefits both from lively tempos - what a fun work - and from a shamelessly spotlit soloist, important to do on a recording since Tubin really incorporates a full orchestra and a lot of material. It's easy to imagine that in a live performance, the bass player would at times be hard to hear.

Thank you for posting this. I suspect I would have missed the Tubin on this release, but the sound quality and presence of the double bass seems much clearer than the alternative BIS recording with Håkan Ehrén. I have also really enjoyed this piece over the years, but the newer recording and crisper spotlighting of the double bass makes all the difference  :)
"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people ... then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness"

Tolstoy

Symphonic Addict

I don't get why Tubin hasn't gained the opportunity of being more often recorded yet. I'm listening to his 4th Symphony in A major Sinfonia Lirica, and frankly being sincere, without any overstatement, this one of the most inexhaustibly and inextinguisably beautiful things I've ever heard in my life. And it could possibly go to one of my top ten symphonies ever, even above the stormy, darkly atmospheric and exciting La légendaire. Tubin is a symphonist of real stature. I'm in awe in how he managed to make this symphonyc cyclic with motifs that evoke intense yearning, longing, and the salvation until the last second... the reencounter. My apologies for being so subjective, but I can't help myself!
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

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Quote from: Symphonic Addict on April 19, 2022, 06:43:41 PM
I don't get why Tubin hasn't gained the opportunity of being more often recorded yet. I'm listening to his 4th Symphony in A major Sinfonia Lirica, and frankly being sincere, without any overstatement, this one of the most inexhaustibly and inextinguisably beautiful things I've ever heard in my life. And it could possibly go to one of my top ten symphonies ever, even above the stormy, darkly atmospheric and exciting La légendaire. Tubin is a symphonist of real stature. I'm in awe in how he managed to make this symphonyc cyclic with motifs that evoke intense yearning, longing, and the salvation until the last second... the reencounter. My apologies for being so subjective, but I can't help myself!

I think it would be interesting to pair Tubin's 4th with Vaughan Williams' 5th. Both are war-time symphonies and both are representative of reflective solace during this turbulent time. Hell, I might end up putting them together in a fake concert myself, but for tomorrow night. In response to your own thoughts as to why he's not performed more. It beats the hell out of me, but we can blame orchestra boards and really the record labels as well for what seems like some kind of resistance or reluctance to give this music more exposure. Honestly, I'm just grateful for BIS and to Järvi for having the foresight to record so much of Tubin's music to begin with. Of course, Volmer championed the composer via Alba Records, but, honestly, his performances are no match for the searing intensity of Järvi. But I do have to thank Volmer for recording the complete Kratt, which is the best thing he's done for the composer. Anyway, to end this post, I'm thankful for everything that has been released of his music.

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: Mirror Image on April 19, 2022, 07:38:39 PM
I think it would be interesting to pair Tubin's 4th with Vaughan Williams' 5th. Both are war-time symphonies and both are representative of reflective solace during this turbulent time. Hell, I might end up putting them together in a fake concert myself, but for tomorrow night. In response to your own thoughts as to why he's not performed more. It beats the hell out of me, but we can blame orchestra boards and really the record labels as well for what seems like some kind of resistance or reluctance to give this music more exposure. Honestly, I'm just grateful for BIS and to Järvi for having the foresight to record so much of Tubin's music to begin with. Of course, Volmer championed the composer via Alba Records, but, honestly, his performances are no match for the searing intensity of Järvi. But I do have to thank Volmer for recording the complete Kratt, which is the best thing he's done for the composer. Anyway, to end this post, I'm thankful for everything that has been released of his music.

Thanks for the reply, John. I can't but concur with you, and that sounds like a good plan. Yes, Vaughan Williams's 5th and the Tubin share that kind of wistfulness. I find them thoroughly endearing and moving.

As for to Kratt, another remarkable work indeed. Whenever I feel in the mood for it, the rewards are not delayed to appear.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

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Quote from: Symphonic Addict on April 19, 2022, 09:06:33 PM
Thanks for the reply, John. I can't but concur with you, and that sounds like a good plan. Yes, Vaughan Williams's 5th and the Tubin share that kind of wistfulness. I find them thoroughly endearing and moving.

As for to Kratt, another remarkable work indeed. Whenever I feel in the mood for it, the rewards are not delayed to appear.

Thanks, Cesar. You've actually motivated me to revisit Tubin as I've been neglecting his music as of late.

krummholz

The Lirica is indeed a wonderful work, and I have also wondered why it isn't performed more often. I've thought of the pairing with RVW before as well - and towards the end of the slow movement (in the Tubin), there's a progression that briefly reminds me of a passage in Sancta Civitas. I love Jarvi's reading but have not heard any others.

dhibbard

Same here....You've actually motivated me to revisit Tubin

vandermolen

Quote from: krummholz on April 20, 2022, 08:07:20 AM
The Lirica is indeed a wonderful work, and I have also wondered why it isn't performed more often. I've thought of the pairing with RVW before as well - and towards the end of the slow movement (in the Tubin), there's a progression that briefly reminds me of a passage in Sancta Civitas. I love Jarvi's reading but have not heard any others.
+1
A friend of mine said that Tubin's 4th Symphony reminded him of Vaughan Williams's 'A Pastoral Symphony'.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

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Quote from: vandermolen on April 20, 2022, 11:02:13 AM
+1
A friend of mine said that Tubin's 4th Symphony reminded him of Vaughan Williams's 'A Pastoral Symphony'.

That would be a fine pairing, too. I just thought of RVW's 5th because it was more contemporaneous with Tubin's 4th.

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on April 20, 2022, 11:22:47 AM
That would be a fine pairing, too. I just thought of RVW's 5th because it was more contemporaneous with Tubin's 4th.
I rather like this coupling John of Tubin's 5th Symphony with Sibelius's 2nd Symphony:
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

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Quote from: vandermolen on April 20, 2022, 11:35:04 AM
I rather like this coupling John of Tubin's 5th Symphony with Sibelius's 2nd Symphony:


That's a pretty good recording, Jeffrey. I haven't listened to it in years.

vandermolen

Quote from: Mirror Image on April 20, 2022, 11:36:47 AM
That's a pretty good recording, Jeffrey. I haven't listened to it in years.
I bought the newish SACD version of it John. However the Jarvi (Senior) BIS cycle is my favourite.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

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Quote from: vandermolen on April 20, 2022, 11:43:03 AM
I bought the newish SACD version of it John. However the Jarvi (Senior) BIS cycle is my favourite.

Mine as well. :)

foxandpeng

Quote from: vandermolen on April 20, 2022, 11:43:03 AM
I bought the newish SACD version of it John. However the Jarvi (Senior) BIS cycle is my favourite.

100%. One of the first full symphony cycles I ever bought, and I love it inordinately.
"A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people ... then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbour — such is my idea of happiness"

Tolstoy

Symphonic Addict

Quote from: krummholz on April 20, 2022, 08:07:20 AM
The Lirica is indeed a wonderful work, and I have also wondered why it isn't performed more often. I've thought of the pairing with RVW before as well - and towards the end of the slow movement (in the Tubin), there's a progression that briefly reminds me of a passage in Sancta Civitas. I love Jarvi's reading but have not heard any others.

Volmer suits good too, but the BIS recording has a passion and intensity that can't be surpassed, and the very composer was there in the performance. A quite special recording.
Part of the tragedy of the Palestinians is that they have essentially no international support for a good reason: they've no wealth, they've no power, so they've no rights.

Noam Chomsky

DavidW

#359
This is the only Tubin recording I've ever heard, but I love it.  It is so memorable that I immediately recognized it after a gap of perhaps 15 years!



Edit: stupid spelling!