Living Symphonic Composers

[Mark G. Simon]

Do you know the work by any chance?

I've never heard it, except for the samples given here:

http://www.amazon.com/Husa-Prague-Symphony-Reflections-Fresque/dp/B000004624/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1210349672&sr=1-2

[karlhenning]

Karel Husa wrote his 2nd symphony in 1983 under the title Reflections (Symphony no. 2).

Is there discography on these, Mark?

[Greta]

Good thread.

I haven't seen any Asian composers listed so far, but there may be some who should be on there...I know definitely of Takashi Yoshimatsu (55), with 5 colorful symphonies.

Ha, did you purposely omit Leif Segerstam...he's working on Symphonies 194-200 at the moment...

There are a few more Finns...

Paavo Heininen (70) - 5
Mikko Heinio (60) - 2
Eero Hämeenniemi (57) - 4
Harri Vuori (51) - 2

And Americans:

David Maslanka (65) - 7
Richard Danielpour (52) - 3
Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (69) - 4

[karlhenning]

...he's working on Symphonies 194-200 at the moment...

And (so I am told, Greta) not a dud in the lot 

[pjme]

Ok - let's look for more recordings....



T.Escaich  °8 mai 1965

Many french composers apparently still write symphonies ( or symphony-like works). Here are some examples. Jean Claude Ballif (°1924) died in 2004
HIs second symphony is more like a vast oratorio
Le livre du serviteur : deuxieme symphonie mystique opus 59 / Claude Ballif.
France : MFA, Musique francaise d'aujourd'hui, p1997.
CD-2252


Alain Bancquart (°1926)
1981, Symphonie n° 1 avec 4 percussionistes, 2 guitares électriques, cordes, créée par l' Orchestre National de France, Gabriele Ferro (direction) à Radio-France en 1981.Durée 35 min. (éditions Ricordi) ; commande de Radio-France
1981, Symphonie n° 2 avec 1 percussioniste, cordes, crée par l'Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France, Alain Bancquart (direction), Radio-France, 1981
1983, Symphonie n° 3 (Fragments d'Apocalypse) sur un texte extrait de l'Apocalypse de saint Jean avec ténor solo et 2 basses soli, 6 percussionistes soli, 4 percussionistes, piano, 2 harpes, cordes, 2 chefs, créée par Guy Renard (ténor), le Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique, Wojciech Michniewski et Alain Bancquart (direction) en 1983. Durée 40 min. (éditions Ricordi
Symphonie n° 4, avec 4 percussionistes & cordes, créé par l'Orchestre Georges Enesco de Bucarest (Minai Brediceanu, dir) au Festival Musica de Strasbourg en 1987. Durée , 25 min. ; commande d'État
1992, Symphonie n° 5 sur le texte du mouvement final extrait du Partage de midi de Paul Claudel avec baryton solo, 2 harpes, 2 cymbalums, 4 percussionistes, cordes, créée par Pascal Sausy, le Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique, Roman Koffman (direction) à Radio-France en 1992. Durée 65 minutes ; commande de Radio-France.

Thierry Pécou ( °1965)

Symphonie du Jaguar (, 2003)


Pierre Ancelin (°1934)

Symphonies
N°1 pour grand orchestre (25'). (1961) Edition Chondens
N°2 pour petit orchestre (18'). (1963) Edition Chondens
N°3 pour orchestre d'Harmonie (22') dite Hommage à Mistral. (1976) Edition Bihaudot
N°4 pour instruments à vent (18'). (1974) Edition Bihaudot
N°5 pour violoncelle et orchestre (24') dite Hommage à Ghirlandejo (1967) Edition Chondens
N°6 pour grand orchestre (25') dite Iles. 1989 Edition Eschig

Patrice Sciortino ( °1922)
1ère Symphonie

Cercile Symphonie

Hera Symphonie

I suppose we'll be able to discover this unknown music after our death....

[vandermolen]

My favourites:

Arnell

Rautavaara

Vasks

Part

John Kinsella

Ross Edwards (Symphony "Da Pacem Domine")

Jaz Coleman (Symphony 1 "Idavoll")

David Bedford (Symphony No 1)

John Gardner

Jim Cockey (Symphony 1 Dedicated to my son)

Many thanks to Lilas Pastia for introducing me to the fine Ross Edwards Symphony and to that by Jaz Coleman.

[Dundonnell]

Good thread.

I haven't seen any Asian composers listed so far, but there may be some who should be on there...I know definitely of Takashi Yoshimatsu (55), with 5 colorful symphonies.

Ha, did you purposely omit Leif Segerstam...he's working on Symphonies 194-200 at the moment...

There are a few more Finns...

Paavo Heininen (70) - 5
Mikko Heinio (60) - 2
Eero Hämeenniemi (57) - 4
Harri Vuori (51) - 2

And Americans:

David Maslanka (65) - 7
Richard Danielpour (52) - 3
Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (69) - 4

And thanks to pjme for proving that the symphony is indeed alive and well in France. Are the French not interested in exporting some of these?

I am beginning to feel a bit stupid now(although I did actually include Zwilich in my original list)! Ok, there are far more composers writing symphonies today than I realised and I am certainly glad to know that. My point about how much exposure many of the symphonies by composers I did not name have had is, I think, still probably valid.

Oh...and yes, I did forget Segerstam. He has,single-handedly, written enough symphonies to outshine the whole of the 19th Century (Well, maybe not, I don't actually know!) What is the man on???

[Lethevich]

Oh...and yes, I did forget Segerstam. He has,single-handedly, written enough symphonies to outshine the whole of the 19th Century (Well, maybe not, I don't actually know!) What is the man on???

LSD I think (seems that the original page is dead)

[Kullervo]

Per Norgard(76)-seven symphonies

Really? Has the 7th been premiered already?

[Symphonien]

Really? Has the 7th been premiered already?

He finished the 7th Symphony back in 2006 and the work was commissioned to be premiered by the Danish National Radio Orchestra at the opening of the new Radio Concert Hall. Apparently, it was originally meant to be opened last year, but the construction of the building has been delayed until January 2009 because of economic problems. So it seems the premiere of Nørgård's symphony will also be delayed until then.

Here's a couple links if you're interested:

The new concert hall's site

An article detailing the assembly of the organ that will go there

[vandermolen]

Does anyone else here know David Bedford's First Symphony? The last movement always makes me smile. If you want to cheer yourself up this is recommended. Amazingly, I have heard it live in concert.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Don't forget John Pickard (*1963), with four symphonies under his belt. He has also written some fine orchestral pieces. BIS has released a CD, which is Editor's Choice in the June 2008 issue of Gramophone.

http://www.johnpickard.co.uk/index.html

[pjme]

And thanks to pjme for proving that the symphony is indeed alive and well in France. Are the French not interested in exporting some of these?

I'm afraid the French are not interested. BUt the same can be said of the Belgians, Spanish, Portuguese,Italians(!!!)
I've only quoted a few French composers. There are MANY,many more, writing in a huge range of styles. I know a few works by Yvon (not Yvan,not Yvonne!) Bourrel ( °1932) ,a pupil of Milhaud and Rivier ( Jean Rivier : at least 7 symphonies!) . He writes quite elegant and refined music that reminds me of Fauré and Francaix .

Many symphonies were written in the first half of the 20th century. George Migot : 13 numbered symphonies, a symphony for organ and orchestra and several smaller works ( symphonietta, symphonie concertante etc) seems an interesting figure.
See also : http://www.georgesmigot.info/ a rather "nifty" website - only French,lots of info.
Jean Rivier :Eight symphonies,  (2 in C, 3 in G, 4 in B♭) and nr 8 for string orchestra
Antoine Tisné (°1932) : 2 symphonies
Charles Tournemire ( 8 large works - several have been recorded)
André Casanova ( °1919), Jacques Chailley (°1910), Alfred Desenclos (°1912),Charles Koechlin(°1867),Marcel Labey(°1875)....all wrote at least 2 symphonies.

[Grazioso]

More:

Finland:
Tauno Marttinen-10

Germany:
Ulrich Leyendecker-5

Latvia:
Imants Kalnin-6

[Mark G. Simon]

I am beginning to feel a bit stupid now(although I did actually include Zwilich in my original list)! Ok, there are far more composers writing symphonies today than I realised and I am certainly glad to know that. My point about how much exposure many of the symphonies by composers I did not name have had is, I think, still probably valid.

The amazing thing is that there are more composers writing all kinds of music than any of us could possibly keep up with (with the possible exception of Bill Pier). It's overwhelming, when you think of it. But all it takes is one digital recording, available on the internet, and anyone anywhere can listen to it. Some day, someone will establish an enormous database containing the complete works of everybody.

[pjme]

 

And then :

...definitely after the performance of my first symphony "Apocalyptica Harmoniosa" for large orchestra, 3 sopranos, concertante organ,piano and ondes Martenot, large choir, children's chorus, electronics, glass harmonica, gamelan and handbells.

[Dundonnell]

I am impressed by the positive torrent of names-many of them new to me-appearing in this thread! I wonder how many of them will become more familiar to us through the medium of recordings of their music. It really is over to the record companies now!

[vandermolen]

Yoshimatsu (Chandos resident composer) is another composer in the Hovhaness type mould whose music I enjoy, although many critics are scathing of it. His pronouncements are rather pretentious, which does not help his cause, but the first two symphonies afford me much pleasure and also some of the shorter orchestral works.

[Christo]

Ha, did you purposely omit Leif Segerstam ... he's working on Symphonies 194-200 at the moment...

Right. I was just curious how far Segerstam - who, as far as I know, composes his symphonies mostly during his summer holidays, when he takes a break from his conducting activities - had come, in between. His Finnish Wikipedia entry merely states that: "Tammikuussa 2008 valmistui jo 190. sinfonia."

But the English Wikipedia entry on him states that he wrote: "193 Symphonies, with symphonies 194-200 in progress (updated: April 30th, 2008)".  As it's almost two months later now, we might suppose he already started nos. 201-210 

       

[Guido]

I would be very interested in hearing anyone's views on this composer too - apparently he also has 8 cello concertos and 11 violin concertos to his name!