Eduard Tubin (1905-82)

[kyjo]

I do like No.6 just not one of my very favourites (2,4,3,1,5,10). It's one of the most confident of the symphonies whereas the ones I like have more nervous tension about them, which is something I always relate to.  I find the opening of No.4 much more moving on BIS than on Alba. I'd like to write more but have been instructed to help with the gardening. 

Interesting, Jeffrey - I find no. 6 to have plenty of nervous tension about it. I especially love the maliciously sleazy saxophone solos which put me in mind of VW's 6th and 9th symphonies. No. 1 has garnered high praise by some members here but it didn't strike me as being one of the better ones of the cycle, on first listen at least. I'll have to give it another go.

[cilgwyn]

I agree!! I would say No 6 has got allot of nervous tension. I must admit,I've never used that term to describe music before (I obviously must get out more) but it's definitely there;now you mention it! And kyjo is absolutely spot on about that saxophone. I like the connection with VW's 6th and 9th. Very interesting! I love VW's use of the saxophone in those symphonies.
I find No 1 a bit bombastic,in places,for my taste. I've had to switch it off twice! It is a First symphony,though. The Second symphony is where it all comes together for me.

[vandermolen]

No.6 reminds me of Prokofiev. I must give it another listen to following the song and dance about it here.

[cilgwyn]

I also downloaded the torso of his eleventh! I didn't really see that much point in buying it. Well,not at the moment!

[Christo]

I also downloaded the torso of his eleventh! I didn't really see that much point in buying it. Well,not at the moment!

Even heard it live in Amsterdam: Neeme Järvi conducting the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, back in 1990 IIRC.

Also heard the Fifth (under Arvo Volmer) and Sixth (under Eri Klas) live, in Utrecht, with the Radio PhO, back in the later 1990s. The Sixth my favourite already then, and quite an event to hear it in the concert hall.

[cilgwyn]

Good news! My set of Tubin's Kratt is in good condition and played without problems. It's great to hear it complete.

[André]

I do agree, Tubin's orchestration can be a bit brass and percussion heavy , but I love it! In addition to the works Cesar suggested, also check out his Double Bass Concerto - certainly the finest work I've heard for the instrument.

Tubin lovers wouldn't have it any other way, no? 

On that subject, I compared the 5th in versions by Järvi père et fils this week. It struck me that the engineering did make a difference when addressing the brass and percussion prominence. For example, in the coda of the 5th the BIS engineers clearly and neatly separate the timpani antiphonally (that's Neeme's version), while on Telarc (Paavo) the sound is a bit more blended, the left/right battle of the timps slightly less striking. Same amount of decibels, but bigger sonic impact/drama achieved thanks to the hyper-lucid recording in the Stockholm hall.

I think that Tubin doesn't play itself. It takes the utmost commitment from conductor and orchestra, but also great skills from the production team.

[SymphonicAddict]

I've always preferred Neemi Järvi's reading of this 5th symphony over others. He nails the works and brings all the energy to the listeners' ears. My only minor complaint about his cycle is the inclusion of clapping at the end of the 4th Symphony.

[vandermolen]

I've always preferred Neemi Järvi's reading of this 5th symphony over others. He nails the works and brings all the energy to the listeners' ears. My only minor complaint about his cycle is the inclusion of clapping at the end of the 4th Symphony.

I prefer Jarvi Senior's BIS series to any other versions of the symphonies.

[SymphonicAddict]

I prefer Jarvi Senior's BIS series to any other versions of the symphonies.

Me too. I failed to clarify that 

[André]

Cross posted from the WAYL thread:

My, oh my! More good stuff from the complete symphonies set of Eduard Tubin. Even when he ends a work quietly (symph no 8 ) the journey is eventful. When he ends triumphantly (no 3) there's no mistaking the proudly cathartic purpose behind the cascading torrents of music.

Is it me, or do I hear an almost blatant imitation of Respighi's Pines of Rome (The Pines of the Appian Way) in the coda of the 3rd symphony?  This was a 'war symphony' (1943) so I guess that some good old-fashioned tub-thumping is excusable. After all, Shostakovich achieved fame in the West with his own clangorous Leningrad symphony barely a year before Tubin completed his third.

[SymphonicAddict]

It's similar indeed, the way the music slowly and progressively builds up to the triumphal ending. However, I wouldn't call it a blatant imitation, but mere coincidence.

[vandermolen]

Cross posted from the WAYL thread:

Is it me, or do I hear an almost blatant imitation of Respighi's Pines of Rome (The Pines of the Appian Way) in the coda of the 3rd symphony?  This was a 'war symphony' (1943) so I guess that some good old-fashioned tub-thumping is excusable. After all, Shostakovich achieved fame in the West with his own clangorous Leningrad symphony barely a year before Tubin completed his third.

Reviews of No.3 (Robert Layton I suspect) suggested that the first two movements are 'vintage Tubin' but that the last movement is 'bombastic'. Personally think that all three movements are vintage Tubin.

[Christo]

My only minor complaint about his cycle is the inclusion of clapping at the end of the 4th Symphony.

True, but one could also see it in a different light. This live performance in Bergen was the big break-through for Tubin: he himself attended it and it led to the recording of the complete cycle for BIS (as Neeme Järvi had promised Tubin to do, at their first meeting after Järvi himself went into exile in 1980). In my imagination, the special atmosphere of the event 'shines through' this recording and the applause at the end reminds us about who were present and what an event it was. 

[André]

True, but one could also see it in a different light. This live performance in Bergen was the big break-through for Tubin: he himself attended it and it led to the rcording of the complete cycle for BIS (as Neeme Järvi had promised Tubin to do, at their first meeting after Järvi himself went into exile in 1980). In my imagination, the special atmosphere of the event 'shines through' this recording and the applause at the end reminds us about who where present and what an event it was. 

I didn't know that, thanks for the context. When I bought the symphonies set a few years ago (from the Amazon MP) I didn't notice there was no booklet/ leaflet inside, just the 5 discs. Therefore I have no info, not even track listings to rely on  . Thanks to the net the basic info can be had easily, but I doubt I would have come across that interesting bit of information without reading your post  .

[Christo]

Is it me, or do I hear an almost blatant imitation of Respighi's Pines of Rome (The Pines of the Appian Way) in the coda of the 3rd symphony?  This was a 'war symphony' (1943) so I guess that some good old-fashioned tub-thumping is excusable. After all, Shostakovich achieved fame in the West with his own clangorous Leningrad symphony barely a year before Tubin completed his third.

So great to see you commenting on this wonderful composer! All of his symphonies are something special & I hope to play the Third again to see what you mean ('bombast' is nonsense of course; especially the 'bombast' of the final movement of the Sixth is very comparable with what Shosta was doing in his Tenth)).

[vandermolen]

True, but one could also see it in a different light. This live performance in Bergen was the big break-through for Tubin: he himself attended it and it led to the recording of the complete cycle for BIS (as Neeme Järvi had promised Tubin to do, at their first meeting after Järvi himself went into exile in 1980). In my imagination, the special atmosphere of the event 'shines through' this recording and the applause at the end reminds us about who were present and what an event it was. 

Yes, I agree with you and find it very moving that Tubin was there - makes it very special I think.

[kyjo]

('bombast' is nonsense of course; especially the 'bombast' of the final movement of the Sixth is very comparable with what Shosta was doing in his Tenth)).

The "critics" have a quite blatant double-standard regarding the word bombast and similar terms - they would never dare apply it to the music of Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Shostakovich, etc. but are quick to demean the music of lesser-known composers such as Tubin with it...

[vandermolen]

The "critics" have a quite blatant double-standard regarding the word bombast and similar terms - they would never dare apply it to the music of Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Shostakovich, etc. but are quick to demean the music of lesser-known composers such as Tubin with it...

Yes, a good point Kyle.

[Madiel]

The "critics" have a quite blatant double-standard regarding the word bombast and similar terms - they would never dare apply it to the music of Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Shostakovich, etc. but are quick to demean the music of lesser-known composers such as Tubin with it...

Oh I have quite definitely seen that word used for Shostakovich.