Eduard Tubin (1905-82)

[cilgwyn]

As posted a few minutes ago on the "What are you listening to now" thread. It strikes me that the Sixth symphony might appeal to lovers of Khatchaturian. I'm referring to the exciting,noisy bits,which some killjoys might describe as bombast. I love it,and the Second,which is possibly my favourite of the lot (so far)!

"This has always been my favourite. It was the first Tubin symphony I ever heard,on the uk's bbc radio 3,back in 1985,I believe. I made an off air caasette recording,which I have kept,for sentimental reasons,as it's my oldest (existing) off air recording. It still plays! As to the music itself. I think it is a very gripping,powerful symphony. "Soft luminesent chords" as one Musicweb critic describes them,begin the symphony. The second movement,a slow,powerful march,building remorselessly and inexorably.  There are pounding drums and a piano part I'm not a musician,and all I can say is that it is a bit like Sibelius with an east european flavour. Viscerally exciting in places. Moments of shimmering beauty. There is a feeling of inexorable momentum throughout and in the moments of reflection,the immensity of cold,bleak landscapes and white nights. It all feels very tightly argued from start to finish and ends as softly and mysteriously as it began. Some of it is very exciting!
I like the Sixth,too. Another favourite. This was the second Tubin symphony I heard. Again via Radio 3 and an off air cassette tape,which I believe I still have. This erupts in violence at one point. A sort of mix of Sibelius and Prokofiev,with even some Khatchaturian in the noisy stretches. The sort of thing lovers of Khatchaturian like! But again,.this feeling of mystery and remote landscapes,a bleak violent past. Tubin assimilates all his influences very effectively. He is his own man. The percussive moments are viscerally,very exciting. The whole work has an epic feeling to it. Pump up the volume and the bass (for those exciting drums) and enjoy! Both symphonies benefit from the spectacular sound quality".

[Christo]

which some killjoys might describe as bombast.

It is, in a way, for very similar reasons as found in e.g. Shostakovich Tenth: Stalin, the war.

The Sixt is Tubin's most expressive  ''war symphony'', contemplating the horrors that befell his homeland - and his own exile in 1944 because of them. I remember how Harri Kiisk, who knew Tubin well in Stockholm, 'explained' the Sixth to me in such terms, based on his own discussion with Tubin.

[SymphonicAddict]

As posted a few minutes ago on the "What are you listening to now" thread. It strikes me that the Sixth symphony might appeal to lovers of Khatchaturian. I'm referring to the exciting,noisy bits,which some killjoys might describe as bombast. I love it,and the Second,which is possibly my favourite of the lot (so far)!

"This has always been my favourite. It was the first Tubin symphony I ever heard,on the uk's bbc radio 3,back in 1985,I believe. I made an off air caasette recording,which I have kept,for sentimental reasons,as it's my oldest (existing) off air recording. It still plays! As to the music itself. I think it is a very gripping,powerful symphony. "Soft luminesent chords" as one Musicweb critic describes them,begin the symphony. The second movement,a slow,powerful march,building remorselessly and inexorably.  There are pounding drums and a piano part I'm not a musician,and all I can say is that it is a bit like Sibelius with an east european flavour. Viscerally exciting in places. Moments of shimmering beauty. There is a feeling of inexorable momentum throughout and in the moments of reflection,the immensity of cold,bleak landscapes and white nights. It all feels very tightly argued from start to finish and ends as softly and mysteriously as it began. Some of it is very exciting!
I like the Sixth,too. Another favourite. This was the second Tubin symphony I heard. Again via Radio 3 and an off air cassette tape,which I believe I still have. This erupts in violence at one point. A sort of mix of Sibelius and Prokofiev,with even some Khatchaturian in the noisy stretches. The sort of thing lovers of Khatchaturian like! But again,.this feeling of mystery and remote landscapes,a bleak violent past. Tubin assimilates all his influences very effectively. He is his own man. The percussive moments are viscerally,very exciting. The whole work has an epic feeling to it. Pump up the volume and the bass (for those exciting drums) and enjoy! Both symphonies benefit from the spectacular sound quality".

Tubin, another imposing composer. I have to say that his symphonies are consistently appealing (even his unfinished 11st). It's one of the few symphonic cycles where every symphony I like significantly. They are full of power, determination, with lots of fierce moments and strong orchestration. They are, in general, the kind of symphonies that I enjoy most. Saying one of them in particular as my favorite is hard work. The most compelling ones are from the 1 to 6, they represent Tubin in the peak of his powers.

[cilgwyn]

Christo:I should point out,I have read some reviews that have used such terminology. The same,kind of, daft sods who sneered at Shostakovich's Seventh. I don't think it's bombastic,at all. I think I was just trying to drum up enthusiasm for it. Tubin's Sixth is one of my favourites;but as you say,the inspiration behind it not fun at all!

Yes,what not to enjoy and admire. Majestic,imposing,moving. There is an epic feel to some of them;and  the orchestration is frequently,viscerally very exciting. You also feel better for listening to them.

[vandermolen]

No 2 'Legendary' is probably my favourite too. I enjoy No.6 but not as much as some of the others, especially, 1,2,3,4,5 and 10. If you don't know it already you must listen to Kaljo Raid's First Symphony if you like Tubin.
That BIS CD with symphonies 2 and 6 on was the first ever CD that I owned - even before I had a CD player. 

[cilgwyn]

That must have been annoying! The thing is,you must check to make sure you've got a cd player before buying?!! Always a good idea!! The first cd's I ever heard were from the library. One was Haitink's recording of the Sinfonia Antartica;the other was......?!! Unfortunately,I'm not sure? I think it might have been de Falla?!! A Dutoit cd,maybe? Luckily for me,I did have a cd player!! I think it lasted about 16 or 17 years. It was still working when I threw it away;but the on-off toggle button had gone wonky. You could play it through the DIN sockets at the back,though. I'm on my third cd player now!!

I'm playing this cd,now. I like everything on this cd. I like the Sinfonietta very much. It's full of good tunes and ideas. I also like the Piano concertino. I prefer the Seventh Symphony to the third and eighth symphonies. There are some very stirring and exciting pasages for brass in the third;but the inspiration seemed less consistent and the ideas less memorable than some other Tubin symphonies. The eighth is my least favourite,so far. They are still well worth listening too,though. The Seventh,however,is,to my ears,full of interesting,arresting ideas. All in all,one of the most enjoyable cd's in the bis cycle,imho (as they say).

[Mirror Image]

That must have been annoying! The thing is,you must check to make sure you've got a cd player before buying?!! Always a good idea!! The first cd's I ever heard were from the library. One was Haitink's recording of the Sinfonia Antartica;the other was......?!! Unfortunately,I'm not sure? I think it might have been de Falla?!! A Dutoit cd,maybe? Luckily for me,I did have a cd player!! I think it lasted about 16 or 17 years. It was still working when I threw it away;but the on-off toggle button had gone wonky. You could play it through the DIN sockets at the back,though. I'm on my third cd player now!!

I'm playing this cd,now. I like everything on this cd. I like the Sinfonietta very much. It's full of good tunes and ideas. I also like the Piano concertino. I prefer the Seventh Symphony to the third and eighth symphonies. There are some very stirring and exciting pasages for brass in the third;but the inspiration seemed less consistent and the ideas less memorable than some other Tubin symphonies. The eighth is my least favourite,so far. They are still well worth listening too,though. The Seventh,however,is,to my ears,full of interesting,arresting ideas. All in all,one of the most enjoyable cd's in the bis cycle,imho (as they say).

That Tubin recording is one of my favorites.

[vandermolen]

That must have been annoying! The thing is,you must check to make sure you've got a cd player before buying?!! Always a good idea!! The first cd's I ever heard were from the library. One was Haitink's recording of the Sinfonia Antartica;the other was......?!! Unfortunately,I'm not sure? I think it might have been de Falla?!! A Dutoit cd,maybe? Luckily for me,I did have a cd player!! I think it lasted about 16 or 17 years. It was still working when I threw it away;but the on-off toggle button had gone wonky. You could play it through the DIN sockets at the back,though. I'm on my third cd player now!!

I'm playing this cd,now. I like everything on this cd. I like the Sinfonietta very much. It's full of good tunes and ideas. I also like the Piano concertino. I prefer the Seventh Symphony to the third and eighth symphonies. There are some very stirring and exciting pasages for brass in the third;but the inspiration seemed less consistent and the ideas less memorable than some other Tubin symphonies. The eighth is my least favourite,so far. They are still well worth listening too,though. The Seventh,however,is,to my ears,full of interesting,arresting ideas. All in all,one of the most enjoyable cd's in the bis cycle,imho (as they say).

Yes cilgwyn, it was hopeless to attempt to play the CD on the turntable of the microwave oven. I had to get a CD player in the end. 

[cilgwyn]

 

[Karl Henning]

I googled how to convert a microwave into a turntable motor, and I found:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Microwave-Motor-Crank-Charger/

You're welcome  0:)

[vandermolen]

I googled how to convert a microwave into a turntable motor, and I found:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Microwave-Motor-Crank-Charger/

You're welcome  0:)

Brilliant Karl,
Those photos make the turntable conversion process look like a piece of cake (no pun intended).

[cilgwyn]

Just think vandermolen. You can listen to your cd and heat up your frozen curry and chips on the same machine. And all at the same time! Your cd might even smell of curry when you take it out?! Yummy!

[vandermolen]

Just think vandermolen. You can listen to your cd and heat up your frozen curry and chips on the same machine. And all at the same time! Your cd might even smell of curry when you take it out?! Yummy!

I think that it would be a suitable device for playing the following work cilgwyn:

'Tapioca' by Sibelius, performed with choral accompaniment by the Ambrosia Singers conducted by Charles Munch.

I need to get out more. 

[Mirror Image]

Tubin is such an awesome composer. I especially love his Symphony No. 4, "Sinfonia Lirica". This could very much be considered his 'pastoral symphony'.

[vandermolen]

Tubin is such an awesome composer. I especially love his Symphony No. 4, "Sinfonia Lirica". This could very much be considered his 'pastoral symphony'.

That's interesting John. I lent the BIS recording to a former colleague who said that it reminded him of VW's 'A Pastoral Symphony'. This is one occasion where I prefer the BIS version to the one on Alba. I think that the BIS one is live, hopefully in front of the composer.

Christo will know. 

[Christo]

That's interesting John. I lent the BIS recording to a former colleague who said that it reminded him of VW's 'A Pastoral Symphony'. This is one occasion where I prefer the BIS version to the one on Alba. I think that the BIS one is live, hopefully in front of the composer.

Christo will know. 

I know that Järvi, after his exile, visited Tubin in Stockholm and proposed (promised) to record all symphonies. I also know that Tubin came to Bergen to hear the Fourth (he'd prepared the score in advance, it had been damaged during the 1944 Soviet bombing of Tallinn) - and yes, I think he attended this live performance that I also prefer for its liveliness. Good to know that this is what Tubin heard at the end of his life. 

[vandermolen]

I know that Järvi, after his exile, visited Tubin in Stockholm and proposed (promised) to record all symphonies. I also know that Tubin came to Bergen to hear the Fourth (he'd prepared the score in advance, it had been damaged during the 1944 Soviet bombing of Tallinn) - and yes, I think he attended this live performance that I also prefer for its liveliness. Good to know that this is what Tubin heard at the end of his life. 

Thank you 
Yes, I agree with you. It is very nice when these composers, whose music had to a lesser or greater extent, been ignored during their lives, see some recognition of their music before they pass on. HB, Tubin and Arnell come to mind.

[Karl Henning]

Tubin is such an awesome composer. I especially love his Symphony No. 4, "Sinfonia Lirica". This could very much be considered his 'pastoral symphony'.

Curious timing, as I cued up that symphony while driving to Alewife this morning 

[Mirror Image]

That's interesting John. I lent the BIS recording to a former colleague who said that it reminded him of VW's 'A Pastoral Symphony'. This is one occasion where I prefer the BIS version to the one on Alba. I think that the BIS one is live, hopefully in front of the composer.

Christo will know. 

Oh yes, RVW's Pastoral Symphony didn't stray too far from my thoughts, but obviously the lyricism is completely different. Truth be told, I prefer the BIS recordings over the Alba recordings as there's something about Jarvi's incisiveness and his performances have this air of occasion about them that's truly special.

[Mirror Image]

Curious timing, as I cued up that symphony while driving to Alewife this morning 

Wunderbar!