Er, aren't some of these Finnish?
My favorite Finnish composer is Englund. I also liked Eero Hämeenniemi's 4th symphony when I heard it on TV (premier performance).
I try to get some music together from Englund, since I seem to like his music.
In what style is EH composing my friend?
The Norwegian composer Rolf Wallin, one of my favourite contemporary composers. Worth checking out if you are not already familiar with his works.
The meaning of this thread is that if you introduce a composer, you give a bit more info to go on.
So if you please my friend! :)
I suggest you take a look at his website. Very useful to get to know his music.
http://www.rolfwallin.org/ (http://www.rolfwallin.org/)
There are also some sound clips.
I'm just waiting for this to become an annexe to the Pettersson thread ;D
Great idea of yours, Harry, to rummage around in the archive and discover the many threads about Scandinavian, Finnish, et al, composers. We had a multitude of lengthy, interesting, informative and challenging discussions about this group of extraordinary composers. Nice to have it back!
My first contribution is - what else? - an opera! Gunner Møller Pedersen wrote the opera Rottesken, Die Rättin, based on a novel by the Nobel Prize winner Günter Grass - Die Blechtrommel, The Tin Drum.
Rottesken is about the miracle experienced by Noah after The Flood when the dove brought him the olive twig, but also very gently, deposited a rat turd in his palm. No living creature was supposed to have survived The Flood, where did this turd come from? Anybody who is familiar with Grass is also familiar with his sense of humour, covering serious thoughts, and it's all there in Pedersen's music.
The music part I copy from the booklet: "The music of "Die Rättin" will sound familiar to most people, some of it even very familiar. The music, just like the dreaming man, is orderly organized: traditional, tonal and designed to carry the pain of the lyrics". The six member Ensemble Domino provides lovely sounds accompanying the two singers, mezzo Helle Hinz, the rat, and Ulrik Cold, bariton Noah.
Altogether a different opera, but one worth listening to.
I'm just waiting for this to become an annexe to the Pettersson thread ;DI was going to mention him of course ;)
Pedersen wrote a supreme passage for the bariton, delivered to perfection by Ulrik Cold as he contemplates the turd on his palm.
Make sure your friend includes the libretto, unless you are fluent in Danish!
Pedersen wrote a supreme passage for the bariton, delivered to perfection by Ulrik Cold as he contemplates the turd on his palm. It's not an outcry of surprise, loud disgust or high volume incredibility, no, he mutters, repeated twice, and utterly bewildered: "A turd?" Precious! :D
calling him one of the greatest composer of the 20th century.
Hurrah, there we go, it is getting interesting now, finally! We are having a difference of opinion, always so welcome at GMG. Your declaration about Pettersen is of course your judgement, your opinion.
In my opinion Rued Langgaard, 1893-1952, is the greatest composer of the 20th century! How do I know? Because I once knew a 15 year old musical genius, a child prodigy studying at a CA conservatory on a special scholarship program, told me so! Serious, I am not making this up. But after I listened to more of Langgaard, I can understand the young man's enthusiasm, without endorsing his judgement of course.
I just acquired Langgaard's Violin Sonatas on Dacapo; looking forward to sinking my teeth into them.
I just acquired Langgaard's Violin Sonatas on Dacapo; looking forward to sinking my teeth into them.
In my opinion Rued Langgaard, 1893-1952, is the greatest composer of the 20th century!
Is this a good start Lis? If yes I will order it! :)
Of course you had to pick one of the works I don't have and am not familiar with. Come on, Harry, be daring, order his Music of the Spheres, if it's still available the one conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky I like best. Second choice is the one with John Frandsen on DACO. Be prepared for a blast of great music, and then you can go to his chamber works.
Good Luck! :-*
Of course you had to pick one of the works I don't have and am not familiar with. Come on, Harry, be daring, order his Music of the Spheres, if it's still available the one conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky I like best. Second choice is the one with John Frandsen on DACO. Be prepared for a blast of great music, and then you can go to his chamber works.I believe this to be his best piece. For sure its his most popular.....I would do this first Harry, .I have all his symphonies on Danacord....I might suggest Harry try sym 4-6 on chandos with jarvi.....I prefer these to the Danacord.....Then try his Quartets......
Good Luck! :-*
I believe this to be his best piece. For sure its his most popular.....I would do this first Harry, .I have all his symphonies on Danacord....I might suggest Harry try sym 4-6 on chandos with jarvi.....I prefer these to the Danacord.....Then try his Quartets......
Actually the SQ are very cheap, so I wanted to start with those to find out if this composer is my cup of coffee so to say.
I will add the works you advise from Chandos. Why do you prefer them against the Danacord recordings?
sonics and performance...My problem with all danacord releases is the sonics.....sym 4 the most melodic where symphony 6 is the most dramatic....The quartets are attractive and essentially romantic....the symphonies are much grander and more glorious. I found them harder to follow then his quartets....
Well but if I like them, the Symphonies I mean, then there is only the Danacord right, since Chandos only recorded one disc!
I am not sure about that. At one time BRO had alot of the danacords. That where I purchased them...Don said he just received his violin sonatas so I am sure there might be other recordings. BTW I do not have the sonatas and wait for Dons word. I hope he is drinking his hot chocolate before he listens....
Lis were are you when you are needed? :-*
Tell me some more about your impression, for I think you owe the set right?
Kalevi Aho is definitely worth to explore, I heard his wonderfully exciting Symphonic Dances at a concert.
Isn't it amazing but sofar the great Sibelius has been mentioned only once in this discussion, and only in comparison with someone else for that matter. Isn't he one of the greatest, if not the greatest scandinavian composer?
X
Isn't it amazing but sofar the great Sibelius has been mentioned only once in this discussion, and only in comparison with someone else for that matter. Isn't he one of the greatest, if not the greatest scandinavian composer?
X
Didn't read that in Harry's first message of this thread.
X
Hurrah, there we go, it is getting interesting now, finally! We are having a difference of opinion, always so welcome at GMG. Your declaration about Pettersen is of course your judgement, your opinion.
In my opinion Rued Langgaard, 1893-1952, is the greatest composer of the 20th century! How do I know? Because I once knew a 15 year old musical genius, a child prodigy studying at a CA conservatory on a special scholarship program, told me so! Serious, I am not making this up. But after I listened to more of Langgaard, I can understand the young man's enthusiasm, without endorsing his judgement of course.
Love these composers from the North, and I've been meaning to reply, but I was not sure who I already owned, and I'm quite interested in obtaining more! So, just goin' through my database & checking agains the Wikipedia lists from these countries, I've generated just a 'small' list of composers, most of whom I already have recordings of their music - two exceptions that I see right off are Englund & Melartin!
But, already in the pages of this thread is mention of other great sounding composers who I would like to explore - and there are probably more! In fact, CLICK on each country - this will take you to an alphabetized listing of composers from each place; there are 50+ to 70 individuals listed per country - :o I assume many of these are not major figures or may even not be composers, but the nembers are long (and most I do not know).
BTW - included Kraus & Tubin in Sweden because both spent most of their composing years in that country - but I'll keep a close 'eye' on others mentioned - :)
Denmark (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Danish_composers)
Dieterich Buxtehude (ca. 1637–1707)
Louis Glass (1864–1936)
Vagn Holmboe (1909-1996)
Friedrich Kuhlau (1786 – 1832)
Niels Gade (1817–1890)
Carl Nielsen (1865–1931)
Christopher Weyse (1774-1842)
Finland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Finnish_composers)
Bernhard Crusell (1775-1838)
Sven Englund (1916–1999)
Erkki Melartin (1875–1937)
Einojuhani Rautavaara (1928-)
Aulis Sallinen (1935-)
Jean Sibelius (1865–1957)
Norway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Norwegian_composers)
Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)
Agathe Grøndahl (1847–1907)
Christian Sinding (1856–1941)
Rolf Wallin (1957-)
Sweden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Swedish_composers)
Kurt Atterberg (1887–1974)
Franz Berwald (1796-1868)
Joseph Martin Kraus (1756-1792; born Germany)
Gustav Allan Pettersson (1911–1980)
Ture Rangström (1884–1947)
Eduard Tubin (1905-1982; born Estonia)
More support here for Atterberg Symphony 7 and 8 (especially the slow movement).
Every symphony from Atterberg is a peach, absolutely beautiful music, and not a note from him will ever disappoint. :)Hi Harry,
Every symphony from Atterberg is a peach, absolutely beautiful music, and not a note from him will ever disappoint. :)
Hi Harry,
What are your feelings about his ninth??
Robert
Agreed. I was listening the other day to some Atterberg along with some Alfven. For me, Atterberg sounds much better.
Every symphony from Atterberg is a peach, absolutely beautiful music, and not a note from him will ever disappoint. :)
More support here for Atterberg Symphony 7 and 8 (especially the slow movement).
Harry, do you have this CD from Klami? It looks like a decent overview for fairly cheap:
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000LC4WV0.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_AA240_.jpg)
Harry, do you have this CD from Klami? It looks like a decent overview for fairly cheap:
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000LC4WV0.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_AA240_.jpg)
Per Nørgård, anyone?
Per Nørgård, anyone?
How about his THIRD for openers....
Explain yourself and the third! ;DHarry,
Harry,
If you are not familiar with Norgard I would start with his third symphony (da capo 224041 Veto, or Segerstam chandos 9491) and then listen to his piano concerto (also on the Segerstam disc with Sym 3)that should be a wonderful beginning..but I would not overlook his violin concerto (Helle nacht) Kontra, EMI 749869, Happy listening.....
Louis Glass was an exact contemporary of Carl Nielsen, and was one of the most important and consistent Late Romantic composers in Denmark. His artistic integrity was highly esteemed, but his reflective idiom did not win him general popularity. From his studies abroad Louis Glass brought home inspiration from Bruckner, Wagner and César Franck, and especially after his personal immersion in Theosophy produced a series of large-scale independent works. In his six symphonies we find an unusually sure grasp of the technical and intellectual aspects of music. The Third and Fourth Symphonies are monumental, the Fifth Symphony is a high point of Danish Symbolism, while the Sixth was a vain attempt to revive National Romanticism. To these we can add many other orchestral works, including a Fantasia for piano and orchestra, and the Theosophical ballet Artemis. Glass was both a pianist and a cellist, and his chamber works are very well-written. After the deaths of Glass and Nielsen, Glass' music was ousted from the musical milieu by the standard-bearers of Nielsen, and only in recent years have we re-discovered how he complements the Danish culture of the turn of the century in a very personal way.
Great piece Dave, interesting composer too. Will of course dive into this one too.
Are there any symphonies recorded?
The Danish composer Niels Gade started his musical career as a violinist in the Danish Royal Orchestra. His first success as a composer came in 1840 with his overture Echoes of Ossian. His First Symphony was accepted by Mendelssohn and performed by the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, where the composer met Mendelssohn and Schumann, succeeding the former as conductor of the Gewandhaus Orchestra in 1847. The following year he returned to Denmark, where he came to assume a leading position in the musical life of the country, writing music in a style greatly influenced by Mendelssohn and Schumann.
Orchestral Music
Gade's orchestral music includes eight symphonies, a Violin Concerto and several concert overtures, with an evocative A Summer's Day in the Country, five pieces for orchestra.
Chamber Music
Gade's chamber music includes one mature String Quartet and two String Quintets, a String Sextet and String Octet, Fantasiestücke for clarinet and piano and three Violin Sonatas.
Piano Music
Piano music by Gade, items of which once formed a general part of popular amateur repertoire, includes a Piano Sonata, Fantasy Pieces and Akvareller (Water-Colours), attractive brief sketches.
Vocal and Choral Music
Gade's vocal and choral music ranges from the Wagnerian Baldur's Dream. The cantatas Zion and Psyche were written for the Birmingham Festival, testimony to the international reputation of Gade, while the earlier Comala reflects his interest in Ossian and Elverskud (Elf-King's Daughter) is Scandinavian in choice of subject and treatment. In his later music Gade's nationalism was subsumed in the German musical idiom that he had experienced in Leipzig.
Harry - thanks - check this link to Arkiv Music (http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/albumList.jsp?name_id1=4474&name_role1=1&bcorder=1) - Todorov (not sure who he is?) appears to have recorded much of Glass's orchestral works, not sure 'how much' is in print; also, I believe Naxos is 'picking up the baton' on this composer - he seems to be re-emerging from obscurity! Something, I think, we both like to see! ;D Also, notice some String Quartets et al; hopefully, others might 'chime in' w/ some personal experience w/ available recordings of Glass. Dave
Niels Gade (1817-1890) - Octet, Op. 17 & Sextet, Op. 44 - Schumann & Mendelssohn were early 'champions' of Gade's works, the former writing articles in his famous periodical of the time & the latter performing Gade's first symphony; Gade apparently 'adored' Mendelssohn, and his early death in 1847 was likely a devasatating blow for Gade, who shortly in 1848 composed the Octet on this disc in memory of his friend - the work is delightful, played well, and recorded superbly (can't praise that MDG label enough!).
Well, a large order arrived in the mail today, mostly composers related to this thread - :D
Niels Gade (1817-1890) - Octet, Op. 17 & Sextet, Op. 44 - Schumann & Mendelssohn were early 'champions' of Gade's works, the former writing articles in his famous periodical of the time & the latter performing Gade's first symphony; Gade apparently 'adored' Mendelssohn, and his early death in 1847 was likely a devasatating blow for Gade, who shortly in 1848 composed the Octet on this disc in memory of his friend - the work is delightful, played well, and recorded superbly (can't praise that MDG label enough!).
Gade's Symphonies w/ Christopher Hogwood & the Danish National Radio SO - picked up 3 volumes, and listening to Vol. 1 (Symphonies Nos. 2 & 8*); also purchased Vols. 2 & 4 - will need to reserve comments until later, although the reviews read seemed to be excellent - although a little surprising for me to see 'Hog' in this repertoire? ::) If interested, a short bio below the pics from the Naxos web site - enjoy - :)
(http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ANJMNNCGL._AA240_.jpg) (http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/516FRPPF87L._AA240_.jpg)
(http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/51CN9P9RDFL._AA240_.jpg) (http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/41XR8XK612L._AA240_.jpg)
Well, just getting into listening to the Gade Symphonies w/ Hogwood, but for those who may want some more concrete comments, CLICK on the images below from Classics Today - all of these volumes received 9/9 to 10/10 ratings - I've listened to only one of the volumes, so far:
(http://www.classicstoday.com/images/coverpics/6756_coverpic.jpg) (http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=6756) (http://www.classicstoday.com/images/coverpics/4105_coverpic.jpg) (http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=4105) (http://www.classicstoday.com/images/coverpics/6039_coverpic.jpg) (http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=6039) (http://www.classicstoday.com/images/coverpics/6041_coverpic.jpg) (http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=6041)
I seriously doubt that you forgot the magnificent Grieg, Harry!
I am certainly very interested of what you think of these full priced Chandos recordings. Paying it, means that you are convinced of its quality, right.
Don't forget dear friend! :)
Well I did not, but I did not mention him either.
Fie against my self, and hail to Andy for calling out loud, Grieg.
His wonderful Symphony, and piano works, not to forget the SQ, and other chambermusic.
And what about the piano concerto, or Peer Gynt.......
Harry - picked up 3 of these Gade discs via the Amazon Marketplace (about $12 each, so 2/3 price? ;)) - doubt that these will be popular, so I suspect to see them showing up on BRO in the near future or packaged a twofers by Chandos! :)
Probably my girl's favorite composer. She just adores the piano/violin works, as well as his chamber music in general. I always looked upon Grieg as having been the composer whom pushed Robert Schumann's goals further...
But not so anymore now Andy?
Edvard Grieg is an incredible composer. I love to listen to Schumann's Piano Concerto in A minor, and then contrast it with Grieg's in the same key. The great majority of Grieg's chamber music is some of the finest in history, in my humble opinion.
Well I agree with you!
Are there any favourite recordings from the piano concerto for you?
I play this one most, but of course I also have a couple of nice box sets (one you reccomended) which are excellent as well.
Well I never heard that one Andy, I have I believe a recording on the lable BIS with Derwinger on the piano, but I am not sure.
Comes with a big collection like mine. :)
Excellent playing and the recording isn't too bad either. Considering your collection, Harry, it wouldn't surprise me if you had this...or similar...buried somewhere ;) :).
Well I have a data base of course, but sometimes I forget to write it down, and then I end up not knowing that I have it.\
It so happens that I suddenly have two copies of recordings.
Last time was recently! I bought a extra copy of the Reger SQ, on CPO, simply because I forgot to write that down.
Took it to the office with me.
\
But, it's better to accidentally have two of the same great recording, than none at all, nicht wahr mein Freund?
Harry, I reccomend the above recording. I'm pretty sure you'll play it plenty.
I am not sure wether Finnish composers were counted in in this thread but anyway I like to mention the Finnish composer Erki Melartin who wrote 6 symphonies
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00001W08G.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_V45092458_SS500_.jpg)
Erkki Melartin (1875-1937) - Six Symphonies - just received this 'box set' in the mail & listened to the first disc last night (Nos. 1 & 3) - superb review on MusicWeb (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2004/Jan04/Melartin.htm) - one encompassing quote "don't expect Sibelius. Instead, picture Mahler/Bruckner on a northern vacation, perhaps borrowing a few tricks from Sibelius......". Apparently, Melartin's First Symphony was only the fourth symphony written in Finland, so he was there w/ Sibelius (who had written two by then) - this is glorious music - looking forward to hearing the other four! :D
Thanks for posting this. You are not the first who has praised this recording to the skies! I haven't yet heard it. (And I was just discussing Lindberg the other night at a concert of Kimmo Hakola's music. We liked Lindberg a bit better.)
And I love it that you've listened to it six times in two days. Isn't it great when you discover a new piece (preferably, one under four hours ;D) and can do that?
Have to get this recording...
--Bruce
...though I am tempted to widen the net just so I can talk about the Nielsen concertos sometime, but no, not now.go to www.ondine.net you can hear abit of it.....
But yes, Finnish Concertos; turns out there's a lot of the buggers and, with the exception of the most famous of them, surely being Sibelius' for violin, they don't get an awful lot of coverage here. So, i'm going to start the ball rolling. All contributions/opinions welcome of course.
To begin, the inspiration for this thread and one of my major discoveries of the year so far:
Magnus Lindberg's Concerto for Clarinet.
I must say, this piece is a kick up the bum to anyone who has convinced themselves that music written in a contemporary language cannot be at all beautiful. Here we have a work full of modern sonorities and extended techniques, pushing the boundaries of every player and instrument. Of course, such writing can lead to some very intellectual, even interesting music but Lindberg, clearly a master of orchestration, has created something far more engaging: a work of astonishingly sensuous and lyrical beauty, which, to me at least, has been most affecting. I find there is more than a touch of the oriental in this work; often it occurred to me that in Lindberg we perhaps have a Finnish equivalent of Takemitsu, and it certainly seems to me that Lindberg has an ear for impressionist harmonies/sonorities. That said, in this piece at least, Lindberg doesn't have the restraint of a Takemitsu and, indeed, we are treated (and it really is a treat) to a climax at the end of near-romantic proportions.
I can't praise this concerto highly enough: it really is a 21st Century classic and deserves to be peformed and live on forever.
(http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/41JS215P6WL._AA240_.jpg)
Some highlights:
[0:00] A gripping start: emerging from the silence a series of clarinet figures, which strung together make up something of an indistinct melody, fragments of which will reappear throughout the work.
[1:00] Listen for the woodwind/string interjection which is surely a nod and a wink to Charles Ives!
[3:40] Fragments of the theme, this time on strings and percussion
[5:20] Jittering clarinet, reminiscent of Rautavaara in the bird song mode. Did we forget Lindberg is a Fin?!
[7:30+] By now, the piece has descended into a more predominantly minor mode (the slow movement), but there is no let up for the soloist, with what sounds to be highly demanding passages.
[9:30] Fragments of the theme return fleetingly on the clarinet
[11:30] Strings dominate as the clarinet figures at last finds its theme from the fragments we have heard before, together at last in a flowing melody, before ending on a high sustained, eardrum-piercing high note from our soloist. From here, the music descends into a period of wildness. At this point we have some really guttural sonorities coming from the clarinet, which I can only describe as being similar in sound to a didjeridu.
[19:10] Wow, listen to this high note from the soloist, for a moment it could be mistaken for violin harmonics! Now into a virtuosic cadenza, which really must be pushing the instrument to its limits.
[21:00] Return of the orchestra, with string-led passages, clarinet in gasping, almost John Adams-esque repetitions of fragments, building to a glorious and spine-tingling final climax with the clarinet singing the theme in its full guise.
In conclusion, a completely satisfying lyrical and dynamic new clarinet concerto for the 21st Century, written in very contemporary musical language but challenging any notion that classical music in the new century cannot be approachable, even lovable (i'm on my 6th hearing in 2 days now!)
Hakola's concerto, also for clarinet, is next under the spotlight, Bruce! What piece did you hear? I don't rate Hakola's work anywhere nearly as highly as the Lindberg, but it's not without it's charms.
And yes, it is great to find a recent work that can withstand repeated listening and that even rewards it. And especially great to hear Lindberg that I love, as I absolutely hated Kraft; i'm so glad I gave him another chance.
What has happened? Why has my thread been merged with another? This was about Finnish Concertos, and now the mandate has been widened considerably. :(
Can this be undone, please Liz, as I have many concertos to review.
Well this thread is also about Finnish composers dear Mog. :)
Sound like Coca-Cola assuring Barq's Root Beer that there's plenty of shelf space 8)
I moi, envy you!
Simple as that! :)
Well this thread is also about Finnish composers dear Mog. :)
and i'd have appreciated at least being asked if I minded before it was done anyway.
Harry - just finished up the Melartin Symphony Box this afternoon -don't know if you have them yet, but all of the rumors are TRUE - quite excellent (an unexpectedly so for me - took a chance, myself, and am pleased!) - Dave :)
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00001W08G.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_V45092458_SS500_.jpg)
Yes Harry, and I have much to say about many Finnish and Scandinavian composers but my project was of niché interest and i'd hoped it would have been an interesting and informative thread, but now it has been swallowed up and diluted by this much larger and vaguer thread. Think of it like this - would you be perfectly happy if you were to start a Beethoven quartets thread and it was merged with 'German composers'?
Seriously, I think this moderation was a little unfair, and i'd have appreciated at least being asked if I minded before it was done anyway. So I ask once more, will a moderator please extend me the courtesy of restoring my little thread?
Ok, what happened to Choo's post that I was about to reply to?
However the substance of my post remains valid - which is that it's difficult to sustain a series of separate sub-threads devoted to specific interests when they're all merged together into one catch-all thread.
If the Soggy One wants to have a thread in which we can all follow a single topic - even if that is "narrow" - then why shouldn't he? I for one was following it with interest, and would do so again.
Mog, do your self a favour, and make this topic again, if you feel that strongly about it.
I will not tolerate that on my thread there will be fighting of any sort, about the decision of Lis.
Otherwise I will lock this topic, so please be a good chap, and do it. :)
However the substance of my post remains valid - which is that it's difficult to sustain a series of separate sub-threads devoted to specific interests when they're all merged together into one catch-all thread.
If the Soggy One wants to have a thread in which we can all follow a single topic - even if that is "narrow" - then why shouldn't he? I for one was following it with interest, and would do so again.
So the palace revolt has been squashed? Good.
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/51A54G4BDGL._AA240_.jpg)
Has anyone heard this wonderful new symphony? I believe the 2nd is also available on disc, and wonder if anyone can offer a few comments, or on this composer in general?
Mog, I ordered a disc in the composer series on Finlandia with some of his works, amongst it a symphony, but JPC told me its out of stock.
I heard his Cello concerto, and was truly amazed at so much novelty.
Since then I try to get some recordings together of his work, and this cd you have posted will be a good start.
Any impressions of this recording?
Our esteemed forum member Robert send me a long list with interesting Scandinavian composers, and my list is growing bigger and bigger.
Have some big issues with Rautavaara/Madetoja/Merikanto/Bergman/Englund, o, well I could go on forever. ;D
The list for these composers only, is long, very long.
So suggestions for preferred recordings are most welcome.
For those interested in lists, go back to my reply (#59) on pg. 3 - click on each of the countries, which will link to a list of 50-70+ composers for each country - that should keep anyone busy, including Harry - ;D Dave
Well, just getting into listening to the Gade Symphonies w/ Hogwood, but for those who may want some more concrete comments, CLICK on the images below from Classics Today - all of these volumes received 9/9 to 10/10 ratings - I've listened to only one of the volumes, so far:
(http://www.classicstoday.com/images/coverpics/6756_coverpic.jpg) (http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=6756) (http://www.classicstoday.com/images/coverpics/4105_coverpic.jpg) (http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=4105) (http://www.classicstoday.com/images/coverpics/6039_coverpic.jpg) (http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=6039) (http://www.classicstoday.com/images/coverpics/6041_coverpic.jpg) (http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=6041)
Einar Englund (1916-1999) Orchestral Works - includes symphonies & piano concerto; of course, this is 20th century music - great comments from Amazon (CLICK on the image); I enjoyed these woks, and would certainly appreciate other recommendations from this composer - thanks. :)
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/216N3Z1MQ2L._AA130_.jpg) (http://www.amazon.com/Einar-Englund-Orchestral-Works/dp/B000031WHG/ref=sr_1_3/103-4191504-6570256?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1177801467&sr=1-3)
Harry et al - finally, I've listened to 3 of the 4 Gades CDs shown above (do not have the 1 & 5 Symphony disc) - again, click on any image for comments from David Hurwitz - these are all highly rated (9/9 to 10/10) - the three CDs that I do own are quite enjoyable; although a Danish composer, he early came under the influence of Schumann & Mendelssohn - his Symphonies are basically 'early Romantic' - I find them enjoyable although not revelatory (nothing wrong w/ that impression) - Hogwood directs well, the orchestra plays superbly, and the sonics are great. These works are certainly worth exploring as an important part of early Danish symphonic composing from the 19th century - :D
Hakola's Clarinet Concerto was the reason I was really eager to hear the program last night. One hearing impressed me tremendously. But as it turned out, I'm not sure that anything else we heard quite measured up to the clarinet piece. Oh well, it happens!
And yes, it is great to find a recent work that can withstand repeated listening and that even rewards it. And especially great to hear Lindberg that I love, as I absolutely hated Kraft; i'm so glad I gave him another chance.
So I finally heard this, and I'm well, blown away! ;D Wow, how do you describe it? Kari Kriikku is a god, first of all. I love the bit with the the very precise and unique bird chirps, in the midst of all the chaos going on. Hakola stretches the clarinet about as far as you can take it, using every awesome woodwind trick in the book, altissimo, insane portamentos, growls (where we sing and play at the same time :D), wild runs, you have to be a monster to pull that one off.
A lot of Eastern influence, some jazz, and a totally unexpected gorgeous, haunting moment at the end of "Hidden Songs". Great party atmosphere, I guess the Finnish RSO was instructed to create the "crowd noise"? ;) And are they ever spectacular here. They dispatch with these orchestral tour de forces by their countrymen in brilliant fashion.
The 1st mvmt, Introduzione, hooked me right off though. I love the kinetic, perpetual machinistic writing, which has striking similarities to Lindberg and Salonen's works written in the same time period (early 2000s). There's all exactly the same age too. There must have been something in the water that year. Their orchestration skills are just phenomenal.
Danish Operas! Peter Heise composed this one and I love it:
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Drilldown?name_id1=5230&name_role1=1&bcorder=1&comp_id=200314
Great tale of Danish history and sung splendidly by Poul Elming in the main role. Of course Harry would not have it in his collection because it is an opera! ::)
I love his organ masterpiece 'Messis' but the opera 'Antikrist' is not a work I've taken to (but this can change).
Jezetha: Great to meet another Langgaard fan! My nickname might give you a hint, there aren't many Danish composers I don't like, but Rued is on top of the list - if only I could come to grips with his Antikrist. If you have figured it all out, please do let me in on it. - Our fellow poster Springrite will be happy too! -
My favorite Langgaard is his Sfærernes Musik and just for fun and entertainment his Insektarium part of his piano collection. :)
Hi, Marple!
I know 'Det Himmelrivende' well. I also have the Prelude to 'Antikrist', so I heard the similarities.
I think I'll have to order the DVD, as I said. The story, after some researching the last few hours, seems much clearer to me now than it was ten years ago. So I won't ask you to re-tell it ;)
I don't know if I've 'cracked' the meaning of the opera (but indeed I think so! ;)) I just love it now!
One more Danish opera: Poul Ruders The Handmaids Tale, this one too has Poul Elming.
'Loving' an opera does not necessarily mean one is 'understanding' it, especially a work as complicated as Antikrist with heavy religious influences, fundamental ones, and possibly dealing with religious customs in a foreign country! (I am not Danish.)
An area I'm having fun exploring. One extremely useful resource is the Finnish Music Information Centre: http://www.fimic.fi/
Another land for you to explore, Harry!
And not a small one. He had composed 185 symphonies by August 8th this year. I'm sure there are quite a few more now, heck, it's late October!
;D
Fortunately (for Harry's wallet!!) most of his works hasn't been recorded yet; in fact, i know of only a few.
I would like to check out the composer Hugo Alfven. I see they have the Neemi Jarvi recordings of the symphonies 1-2-4-5 at my local library. Do you have a recommendation on which symphony I should check out first? What do you think of the merits of this composer?
I would like to check out the composer Hugo Alfven. I see they have the Neemi Jarvi recordings of the symphonies 1-2-4-5 at my local library. Do you have a recommendation on which symphony I should check out first? What do you think of the merits of this composer?
Hello, Rubio! I personally like the First and Third Swedish Rhapsodies (aka 'Midsommarvaka' and 'Dalarapsodie') very much. And the Funeral Music for Gustav Adolf. And the symphonic poem 'Legend of the Skerries'. And the Second, Third and Fourth symphonies are excellent, very colourful and tuneful. His Fourth symphony (subtitled 'From the Outermost Skerries', a bit confusing...) is a symphony in one movement with two soloists whose voices wind in and out of the musical fabric. Not to sound too disrespectful, but the music seems to be 'erotic' and created quite a stir at its first performance. I think it's just beautiful. Here is a link:
http://rapidshare.com/files/112530331/Alfv_n__Hugo_-_Symphony_No._4__c-minor__op._39.mp3
(Stig Westerberg - Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra)
These are my experiences of Finnish composers.
I think no Finnish composer deserves more attention than Toivo Kuula. I know him for his many songs which are quite popular among Finnish concertgoers. His songs, like Schubert's music, are romantic in style and filled with divine inspiration. He died tragically at the age of 35, after having stabbed a soldier in a party and being shot in the head in retaliation.
After Sibelius, I believe Leevi Madetoja was the most important among the national romantic composers. I know him best for his operas, Pohjalaisia and Juha, both of which contain some very lovely melodies.
Juha was also set to music by Aarre Merikanto, the principal Finnish modernist of the early 20th century. I haven't listened to his works a lot, so I don't know how highly to think of his music, but I regard him as a forerunner to Rautavaara. His father Oskar Merikanto composed well-known children's songs and whatnot.
Along with Sibelius, the most famous symphonist of the early 20th century was certainly Erkki Melartin, and his symphonies are distinguished from bearing little resemblance to the music of Sibelius. People describe his relationship to Mahler as similar to that of Schostakovich's, but I'm not sure what to think of him.
Joonas Kokkonen was an influential music teacher whose music bears much in common with expressionism. Personally, I've never been convinced by his music.
Aulis Sallinen is a composer I know very well. Symphonies, concertos, operas, chamber music... You name it, I've heard it. I was much interested in his music when I was younger. Nowadays I regard him as a competent composer, but none of his music really moves me much.
Then there's Rautavaara, whose 90's music I find breathtaking. You hardly find as much originality anywhere in these days except in Rautavaara's music. Although harmonically very different, he seems to write like the late Berg, and this produces very lyrical moments. I much recommend his late symphonies and his opera Aleksis Kivi. I should listen to his music more, and so should you.
Other living Finnish composers such as Magnus Lindberg, Kaija Saariaho and Esa-Pekka Salonen haven't interested me much, even though I've heard some of their works. There's the possibility that I'm too old-fashioned to appreciate them. Then there are some Finnish composers I haven't had the time to familiarize myself with. These include Fredrick Pacius, Armas Järnefelt, Robert Kajanus, Kalevi Aho and Paavo Heinonen. There is an incredible amount of Finnish composers - I would say a few too many.
Sallinen is much more than a 'competent' composer. Some of his stuff is responsible for my brain doing timeshifts and unworldy travels. He is a composer of considerable skill, and he must have an idea what his music can do to someone innocently trying is music out. I don't recommend trying it - I recommend getting it, and going to hear it performed. Sallinen is a real Scandinavian treasure.
Sallinen is much more than a 'competent' composer. Some of his stuff is responsible for my brain doing timeshifts and unworldy travels. He is a composer of considerable skill, and he must have an idea what his music can do to someone innocently trying is music out. I don't recommend trying it - I recommend getting it, and going to hear it performed. Sallinen is a real Scandinavian treasure.
Mahler10th - any Sallinen work you recommend to a newcomer? Erato mentioned the Fourth Symphony - I just listened to some excerpts on eMusic, which I liked... But what, do you think, should I listen to first?
And Harry - do you have any favourites?
Ì enjoyed this one very much:
(http://www.diverdi.com/files/ag/4620/BIS041_B.jpg)
Aulis Sallinen
Orchestral works and chamber music
Performers
Paavo Pohjola, violin
Frans Helmerson, cello
Voces Intimae Quartet
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Helsinki Philarmonic
Okko Kamu, conductor
Paavo Berglund, conductor
1. Sinfonia (1971) 16'42
2. Chorali (1970) 11'35
Sinfonia III (1974-75):
6. Cadenze per violino solo (1965) 4'31
7. Elegy for Sebastian Knight, Op.10 (1964) 5'54
8. String Quartet No.3, Op.19 (1969) 12'10
1 CD - DDD - TT: 74'50
I found Sallinen first hearing him on Radio 3 (UK)...it was the second track on the album "Chorali" and I have been hooked since then.
Right. I know enough. :)
Right. I know enough. :)
The "Postbank" will give you a loan with cheap rates! ;D ;D
It is odd that CPO-a company which normally seeks to record works not previously recorded-should be duplicating the earlier BIS recordings of Sallinen's first six symphonies! Never mind-Ari Rasilainen is a good young conductor and his insights are valuable.
Oh....and I should have added-
Okay, okay Colin, I am here! And I am interested! Please go on enlightening me and all the others... I think I am going to download 'Chorali' first.
The whole BIS catalogue is at eMusic, and my subscription there has been refreshed last weekend (50 tracks). So I don't think I have to take out a loan this time...
Edit: they have Ondine, too.
O, after that, you will be lost, and want all, o, dear, 50 tracks you say, Hmmmm! ;D
With several other composers 'on the go' at the same time, 50 tracks isn't a lot. I think I'll have to be very discerning and very frugal...
Can't agree with you about Kokkonen and Sallinen. I think that both are seriously good composers. Their symphonies and concertos are works to which I often return.
Sallinen is much more than a 'competent' composer. Some of his stuff is responsible for my brain doing timeshifts and unworldy travels. He is a composer of considerable skill, and he must have an idea what his music can do to someone innocently trying is music out. I don't recommend trying it - I recommend getting it, and going to hear it performed. Sallinen is a real Scandinavian treasure.
How many treasures do you think I expect to find in such a small country?
I'm sorry that I lack the ability or will to admire almost every Finnish composer, or to regard each as an universal genius. I'm not ruling out the possibility that Sallinen or Kokkonen are as great as Mozart, Brahms, or Rautavaara, but so far I haven't found many reasons to think so. When I say that Rautavaara is a far greater composer than either, that mostly shows that I appreciate Rautavaara, rather than that I dislike the former.
And sure I sometimes return to Sallinen's symphonies. I also often return to Carl Nielsen's symphonies; they're very enjoyable, but I would trade them all away for one work by Webern.
I would say all of this about Rautavaara. I would say it about Kuula, and if I was really drunk, I would even say it about Sibelius. How many treasures do you think I expect to find in such a small country?
Oh, I would never dare to equate Sallinen or Kokkonen with Mozart or Brahms!Hence, a competent composer. A very competent composer...? An interesting, very accomplished composer...? Regardless of what term we use, the title of a 'great' composer, in my understanding, demands equivalence to that which is admired in Mozart or Brahms, for instance, and I have strong reasons to believe that Rautavaara meets that demand well.
Rautavaara is a very fine composer whose works I love/admire. He is just a rather different composer from Sallinen or Kokkonen but I value all three.But not especially one of these composers, it seems, like I especially value Rautavaara.
"Trade away all of Carl Nielsen's symphonies for one work by Webern"? Sorry, not with you there!!This is just an example of how I listen much to some composers and find their music enjoyable, but don't need them like I need some others. I didn't expect you to agree on Carl Nielsen.
For those interested, I once posted the Sallinen Cello Sonata here (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,42.msg113646.html#msg113646).
Aare Merikanto deserves much more exposure. I would like to hear his symphonies. Ondine ought to record more Merikanto.
I have Merikanto's Piano Concertos Nos. 2 and 3 and Violin Concertos Nos. 2 and 4 in my collection. That leaves the first Piano Concerto, the first Violin Concerto(No.3 was destroyed) and the two Cello Concertos-as well as the three symphonies which have not been recorded. Will listen again to Violin Concerto No.4 in particular.I also have the 'Meet the Composer' CD. Both Violin Concertos are lovely, especially the Fourth one. I'm not familiar with the other concertos.
Will also go back to the shorter works. I remember that the Fantasia for Orchestra, "Pan" and the Symphonic Study(all three of which are on an old Finlandia 'Meet the Composer' CD were highly rated by commentators as radical masterpieces from the 1920s.
As a result of some of the stuff in here, today I got this...
and superb it is too. I'll report back on it properly sometime.
Absolutely agree! Kokkonen is a substantial composer of real ability. Do report back when you can!
Any recommendations in order here, and maybe some sort of description of the music? Where do I place his sound?
The BIS looks good, is it?
I have it, and it's very fine indeed. Can't compare with the BIS though as I haven't heard them.
The only drawback is that the recordings are getting a little long in the tooth. It looks as though Ondine may be intending its own Kokkonen cycle. ODE 1098-2 was released last year and has Symphonies 3 + 4 and the Cello Concerto with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra(Sakari Oramo). I haven't heard that disc but I seem to remember that it was well reviewed.
Anybody ever heard of Eero Hameenniemi(born 1951)?
I have just bought the Alba CD of his Symphony No.3 and Viola Concerto-
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2008/May08/hameenniemi_ABCD214.htm
Will report back when I have listened to the CD.
My favorite Finnish composer is Englund. I also liked Eero Hämeenniemi's 4th symphony when I heard it on TV (premier performance).
seconded
Which Englund symphony should I listen to first?
I have it, and it's very fine indeed. Can't compare with the BIS though as I haven't heard them.
After Sibelius, I believe Leevi Madetoja was the most important among the national romantic composers. I know him best for his operas, Pohjalaisia and Juha, both of which contain some very lovely melodies.
Which Englund symphony should I listen to first?
Which Englund symphony should I listen to first?
No 2 and then No 1 and then No 5.A much more succinct response :)
No 2 and then No 1 and then No 5.
I would like to slip in a good word for Pehr Henrik Nordgren (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pehr_Henrik_Nordgren), but sadly at the moment his symphonies elude even vaguely easy description. It's reasonably accessable but it sure isn't friendly sounding :D I rather like what I've heard, though.
Anyone heard of Sæverud? I enjoyed Orchestral Music Vol. 1 on Simax (2 CDs, HMV.jp incorrectly said only one). I'm no aficionado, so it sounds to me like standard mid-20th century (tonal) stuff, quite emotional and warmly orchestrated, not hugely tuneful. This set consists of one-movement symphonies and tone poems, plus the four movement 8th "Minnesota" symphony. A lot of Sæverud's stuff has been recorded for BIS.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31O1ll58bbL._SL500_AA240_.jpg) (http://www.amazon.com/Saeverud-Orchestral-Music-Vol-1/dp/B000027AKZ/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1214465885&sr=1-8)
Madetoja: all four symphonies
:o ::)$:) :D
Vagn Holmboe?
Probably the greatest Scandinavian composer post Sibelius and Nielsen!! Holmboe should be recognized as among the greatest of all 20th century composers. His cycle of 13 symphonies is quite superb!
Karl Birger Blomdahl-haven't heard the opera 'Aniara' but the three symphonies are on BIS CD-611 are are all impressive works(the third, 'Facetter', from 1951 dark and powerful). Had a reputation as a modernist in his time but the symphonies are certainly accessible enough,
I've listened to the odd string quartet and chamber concerto (?) over the years, very favorable impressions. I am pleased to find you think so highly of the symphonies, as I've gone ahead and pulled the trigger on the set!
I've listened to the odd string quartet and chamber concerto (?) over the years, very favorable impressions. I am pleased to find you think so highly of the symphonies, as I've gone ahead and pulled the trigger on the set!
Who of whom? ;D
Who of whom? ;D
Sadly, Holmboe died in 1996 aged 87 so I would imagine that the "is" would suggest that it is Christo who is the fan :) :)
I believe that Holmboe was welcoming of contacts from those who cherished his music and responded to enquiries. Jeffrey, did you not write to him once?
Yet, I wholeheartedly agree with all of your choices - always strange & special to read ones own preferences from some-one else. :-* ;)
In Englund, I prefer 4 and 5 above 1 and 2, however. And I would perhaps add:
Hugo Alfvén, Symphony no. 4 `Fran havsbandet'
Kurt Atterberg, Symphony no. 7 (first two movements are great, but the Scherzo is horrible, imo)
Gösta Nystroem, all `Sinfonias' that I happen to know
Some Lars-Erik Larsson
Geirr Tveitt, Hundrad hardingtonar (the four suites that remain)
Some Aulis Sallinen (I only know symphonies 1-3)
and again lots more, once one starts thinking about the abundancy of Scandinavian composers!
I found Blomdahl's 'Aniara' on Usenet, two years ago. My interest was piqued because I knew that it was based on a science fiction poem by Swedish Nobel Prize laureate Harry Martinson. Scandinavian literature in general interested (and interests) me very much. So I downloaded it, but haven't come round to listening to it yet. If people here want to have it, I can upload it.
Here more info on the poem (not the opera):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aniara
I would love to hear it if it isn't too much trouble.
One day, I should perhaps try and tell the story in full. In the short version it's something like: yes, I met Holmboe and his wife, Meta May Graf, in early August 1995, during a long afternoon meeting in his country house in the North of Sealand (some 25 miles North of Copenhagen). I taped the meeting and should play these audio recordings again in order to hear what exactly we discussed, in those 4 hours or so.
The couple kindly showed me their place and the huge tree garden they both built and planted themselves, when they bought a plot of land from the income of the price-winning Second Symphony (if I recall well) in the late 1930s. We were mostly drinking tea in the garden and enjoyed the scenery as much as our quiet talk.
It was in the time he was suffering the disease mentioned in his letter to Jeffrey. On the piano was the manuscript of his just finished Thirteenth Symphony, dedicated to conductor Orwain Arwel Hughes - in our conversation the couple payed much homage to Hughes, btw.
Yes, the man was as suggested here before: wise, extremely modest, warm, human, suffering, still searching and wondering, in short: impressive. He died a year later, as you all know. I was happy I had time to express in what I hope were sincere and sobre terms how much his music meant for me. It was quite special to be able to share thoughts on a number of symphonies, especially. Indeed, exactly the symphonies Jeffrey mentions, my own favourites as well - as those of Holmboe himself, as far as I can remember.
He revealed that some of these came to him as a revelation - he did use that specific term a couple of times - and in one specific case indeed literally in a dream. I myself would say that those `dream/revelationary' qualities in parts of e.g. the Fifth and Eight symphony are rather self-evident for some of us, here. Enough for now. I should listen to those tapes first and then write something of more substance.
Pehr Nordgren-sorry, too 'advanced' for my tastes!
Karl Birger Blomdahl-haven't heard the opera 'Aniara' but the three symphonies are on BIS CD-611 and are all impressive works(the third, 'Facetter', from 1951 dark and powerful). Had a reputation as a modernist in his time but the symphonies are certainly accessible enough,
Erland von Koch-I only know him through a Musica Sveciae CD of the Symphony No.2 "Sinfonia Dalecarlia", Viola Concerto and some lighter music(it appears that he has written six symphonies and fifteen concertos and is still alive at the age of 98!). Pleasant stuff but not-I thought-particularly memorable music, influenced by Swedish folk music, but the works on that CD were all written when he was in his thirties so his style has probably evolved considerably).
Harald Saeverud-yes BIS has issued all of his symphonies(bar No.1 which he withdrew). A typically craggy Norwegian individualist. Undoubtedly the leading Norwegian symphonist and a very fine composer although-in my opinion-just slightly harder to comes to terms with than most of his Scandinavian contemporaries. Not that the music is more difficult-it isn't-but there is less 'warmth'(which is not really the right word!) than in other Scandinavians. Less of the brooding forests or dark lakes of Sweden or Finland and more of the fjords and jaggy peaks! (Will mean nothing if you don't know Scandinavia or don't associate music with landscape!)
Watch this space...
Just having a listen: it's all in Swedish and I have no libretto...
http://rapidshare.com/users/8RDGKF
As always, a million thanks. Looks like the libretto can be bought rather cheaply (I googled "Aniara libretto"). I will give this a listen and possibly order one if I like it enough.
Just for the record: I'm a fan too. Know all of his symphonies save for 6 and 7. Plus a handful of other pieces (mostly concertos).
Seconded! What I've heard ( Blackbird symph. /pianoconcerto nr 1 etc. Naxos) by Englund is more than "interesting" !
I really must take that CD out and give it a spin.
P.
Yes, it's the Naxos Second. Apart from Shostakovich, there are echoes of Prokofiev too. But they are not obtrusive. Englund has his own particular sound-world.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41vnPtqMp6L._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
I've had this CD for a while, but sold it.... Pingoud isn't Scriabin. Maybe the symphonies are better.These symphonic poems were ...bland.
P.
(http://www.mdt.co.uk/public/pictures/products/standard/PSC1227.jpg)
Try this. 3 fine symphonies, playful, somewhat in the Shostakovich mold of nr 1 & 9, in very good sound as well!
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41vnPtqMp6L._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
I've had this CD for a while, but sold it.... Pingoud isn't Scriabin. Maybe the symphonies are better.These symphonic poems were ...bland.
P.
Sorely needed I think. And a new recording of Finn Mortensens op 5 symphony, widely regarded as the major modern, Norwegian symphony.
I wish Simax would give us a complete set of the Egge symphonies.
Just listened to Englund's Symphony No. 2 two times. Excellent piece, with raw and lovely passages in about equal measure. The opening is magical, evoking wide open spaces. Englund scores with the utmost clarity and delicacy. I like it.
You could perhaps have mentioned Terje Rypdals (also a major jazz guitarist) 5 Mahlerian symphonies. The BIS issue of the two Groven symphonies is very fine BTW. But Norway haven't promoted their classical heritage as efficiently as the Finns and Danes, though we haven't as strong a tradition. Irgens Jensen is a major orchestral composer, but typically with no symphonies to his generally limited worklist, he was active as a conductor.
Oh..stop..I do have a tendency to write overly long posts here and I apologise :)
Two very fine living Norwegian composers-Halvor Haug and Ragnar Soderlind-are under-represented in the catalogues.
I think that BIS only issued Groven's 1st symphony while it was Simax which did the 2nd(just for the sake of absolute accuracy :) )
I have spent holidays in Norway every couple of years for the last decade and will be flying to Tromso and visiting Vesteralen and the Lofotens again in August. Can't wait to be in such spectacular landscape again soon :)
The lst Symphony used to be available but I have never been able to lay my hands on it. Robert Layton refers to it in terms which make me long to hear it-"great concentration of atmosphere", "breadth that is almost Sibelian", "recalls Reger or Bruckner", "brooding intensity that betokens a kinship to the great symphonic adagios that open Shostakovich 6 or 8". Sounds just up my street!!
You are absolutely right, and I have them both...
My father actually are from Vesterålen - a couple of pictures from where he spent his first 18 years (Bleik on Andøya - and I've visited lots of times):
(http://www.kiteforum.no/desk_files_uploaded/converted/constrainmax_420x420_spot_bleik_juli_2006.jpg)
(http://www.andoyturist.no/images/topbilder/bleik.jpg)
And Lofoten - a few miles further south is even more spectacular!
Thanks, that definitely looks like my kind of stuff - if one can discount the occasional exaggeration (his orchestration is "revered").
Another scandinavian composer I like a lot is the Swede Anders Eliasson. I have his first symphony and some other stuff. Anybody knows if he wrote other symphonies, and if they're available on disc ?
Thanks for the link !There is a disc of string quartets on Naxos that I like quite a bit.
I have these two BIS discs. Fernström's Songs of the Sea are a real find (on the Symphony 12 disc). I also have his Miniatures for string orchestra. I'm not aware of other discs out there.
Well, I get word that my Holmboe symphonies have shipped, but won't land until after the holiday weekend.
No doubt these minor reverses are sent to us for an improving purpose 8)
Try the beautiful opening of No 6 for starters, the compulsive choral opening of No 4 (written during the Nazi occupation-Holmboe's brother died in the war) or the whole of no 7, 8 or 10. Those are my favourites.
I have downloaded Englund's Fourth Symphony (Christo's favourite). I'll listen to it later today. You'll be hearing from me...
As always, completely agreed. But in your case, try no. 9 (coupled with 8, but separated by a long time interval) just as well, as its more modern language offers a completer picture. And once you're that busy, you could add the Fifth too, with it's strong Stravinskian overtones, especially in its opening material.
(To sum up: If you can, try nos. 4-10 first, and then change to nos. 1-3 and 11-13 for a more complete understanding of his unique symphonic language. I simply love them all, dearly. :-*)
Very Shostakovichian!
Don't want to spoil your enjoyment but comparing the Naxos version(Turku Philharmonic/Panula) with the Ondine(Tampere Philharmonic/Eri Klas) I am struck by how much more immediate is the Ondine recording and the extra degree of feeling Klas seems to bring to the work
I am a Brianite like you, Colin, with decades of listening to imperfect performances and/or recordings. I think I can manage! ;DOf course you can :)
Of course you can :)
Just listening again to Englund's Symphony No.5 "Fennica" which Jeffrey rated highly. It really is a splendid work!! Much more appropriately Englund's 'War Symphony' than No.1. An 18 minute long powerhouse of grim anger. I like the description on Musicweb-"battering sidedrums, barrages of percussion, frozen snowy landscapes, wheezy ghostly woodwind, mercilessly exciting fanfares all stalk throughout the symphony".
Strongly recommended! (Oh, and "Fennica" means Finnish btw. You would never guess how long that took me to figure out! duh!)
I think I've seen office buildings faced with brianite . . . .
If I could be so lucky...
Oh no...you are not quoting Kylie Minogue now are you? Didn't she sing that song?
I Should Be So Lucky is the name of that unforgettable classic, Colin... So - no, not quoting. Only slightly alluding, perhaps.
I Should Be So Lucky is the name of that unforgettable classic, Colin... So - no, not quoting. Only slightly alluding, perhaps.
Since she received the OBE today, I too thinks that it's about time that we had a Kylie thread ;D
Despite Rautavaara's popularity on this forum, I imagine few people have heard many of his operas, which are in the Finnish-language. I especially admire his Aleksis Kivi, with its incredible thematical richness. It's a shame that the only recording I have is ruined by one of the sopranos - Eeva-Liisa Saarinen, who fails to meet the standards of the rest of the cast. Yes, surely she has accomplished many studies and worked as a teacher, but she is horrible and serves to show that such a small country can only produce so many great singers. Having an excellent dynamic range is not a sufficient excuse; her vibrato sounds like the bleating of a goat, to use the words of a favorite composer of mine, and her pitch accuracy isn't great, either. I'm sorry to ruin the positive mood of this thread, but there needs to be better recordings of Rautavaara's works.
Is Kivi, one of the fathers of Finnish literature, still read today? Is he still a living writer and poet?I bet Finns read him more and know him better than any other Finnish writer, with the possible exception of Johan Ludwig Runeberg, who wrote in Swedish, though. All Finnish people are at least expected to know him and some of the books he has written, which is not often the case with the more modern writers like Juhani Aho (birth name Johannes Brofeldt) and Mika Waltari. I read his plays and poems alot when I was younger. It was almost a magical experience. And he had had such a hard life. I imagine some of these experiences would get lost in translation.
I bet Finns read him more and know him better than any other Finnish writer, with the possible exception of Johan Ludwig Runeberg, who wrote in Swedish, though. All Finnish people are at least expected to know him and some of the books he has written, which is not often the case with the more modern writers like Juhani Aho (birth name Johannes Brofeldt) and Mika Waltari. I read his plays and poems alot when I was younger. It was almost a magical experience. And he had had such a hard life. I imagine some of these experiences would get lost in translation.
Very interesting! For a nineteenth-century author to be still speaking so strongly to someone in the 21st century is quite exceptional. Only the really great writers can retain their appeal.
[Sorry to be slightly OT, Colin. But I HAD to ask...]
With Atterberg, it is the 8th symphony which is my favourite, although I don't like the overblown last movement. I also like Nos 2,3 and7. No 9 was a disappointment.Agree with #8. Everybody likes #3, and 5 has the incredibly sad Lento, which means a lot to me. I have the CPO recordings, I only wish to listen to another #5 recording one day. I'm not sure if it's the work or the recording, but #5/2 Lento has overstrong treble and no bass in the ppp climax in the end, very sharp and biting my ears.
Agree with #8. Everybody likes #3, and 5 has the incredibly sad Lento, which means a lot to me. I have the CPO recordings, I only wish to listen to another #5 recording one day. I'm not sure if it's the work or the recording, but #5/2 Lento has overstrong treble and no bass in the ppp climax in the end, very sharp and biting my ears.
I don't know the most composers mentioned in this thread. Only Sibelius, Petterson, Grieg, Atterberg, a bit Rautavaara and... I have a Sallinen CD here, but even forgot which one. I remember the music was too modern for me ;)
I cannot quite forgive him for winning the 1928 Columbia prize with his 6th Symphony defeating Havergal Brian's Gothic! How HB could have used the $10,000(a fortune in 1928!).
Neither can I. On the other hand - the Sixth is now nicknamed 'the Dollar Symphony', which albatross I'd not have eternally round my neck as a composer...
Haug's First Symphony, another Aurora CD that I happen to own, used to be, for a long time, the only contemporary Norwegian symphony that I knew of. I never heard the other two, and left it there. :-\ Now, your description makes me turn off Söderlind's Fourth and play Haug's First first again:
(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/9c/d1/e79ec060ada0025d95e8a110._AA240_.L.jpg)
I think I remember ??? I Robert Layton mentioned Haug's First as a promising recent composition in his chapter about `Holmboe and the Scandinavians' in Robert Simson's (ed.) book The Symphony which used to be my guide into the modern symphony in the early 1980s. (This book, btw, being a major incentive for me to find out more about this Vagn Holmboe, a name I wouldn't have know without this vivid description of his symphonies.)
Anyhow, in Robert Layton's own (ed.) Guide to the Symphony, I read in his own chapter on the Scandinavian symphony after Nielsen and Sibelius, these words on Haug's First you are referring at. Great to hear this impressive music afresh, after more than a decade! And time to play the Sinfonietta too. Lots of work to do. now: first Haug, than Söderlind again, Egge, Saeverud again, then explore the complete Aho cycle ... ;)
Great thread, inspired me to increase my wish list with some recordings of Langgaard, Lindberg, Kokkonen, Englund, Atterberg, Stenhammer, Pettersson, Leifs.
Go checking out samples these days. If this is all as good as the Rautavaara I'm listening now...
Don't forget Hilding Rosenberg, especially his great 3rd Symphony :)
Review with contribution from me (including getting Rubbra's first name wrong) ;D
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2003/Jan03/Rosenberg3.htm
Johan, thanks for that Louis Glass post. I have the Marco Polo disc of 5 and 6. Am I missing something?
Don't forget Hilding Rosenberg, especially his great 3rd Symphony :)
Review with contribution from me (including getting Rubbra's first name wrong) ;D
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2003/Jan03/Rosenberg3.htm
Great thread, inspired me to increase my wish list with some recordings of Langgaard, Lindberg, Kokkonen, Englund, Atterberg, Stenhammer, Pettersson, Leifs.
Go checking out samples these days. If this is all as good as the Rautavaara I'm listening now...
If one is to be clued by his avatar, I think Henk is a versatile listener :D.
Henk, be careful with Langgaard. I have noticed you like modern music best, so if you try Langgaard, begin with his most advanced piece - 'Music of the Spheres'. Most of the symphonies will be too romantic for you (or are you into late Romantic music?!)
If one is to be clued by his avatar, I think Henk is a versatile listener :D.
I have heard Music of the Spheres already one time. Yes I'm into late Romantic music now, there's really much to explore in this genre, as you did before me.
Who are the others? :D
Brahms, Schnittke and Shostkovich. Schnittke and Shostakovich sound so aggressive, but I'll try again later.
I listened to these two accounts of the 4th symphony, Järvi and Westerberg, both with Stockholm PO. This is my favourite Alfven work - atmospheric and seductive. You could think about a beautiful summer day in the ocean of Sweden. Westerberg is a bit more dramatic and maybe I prefer it slightly over Järvi. I also get associations with painting when I listen to this kind of music.
(http://www.jpc.de/image/w600/front/0/7318590005057.jpg) (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/11BC5H20K2L._SL500_AA130_.jpg)
Hmm...I was just about to order that CD! Will have a second thought!
Brahms, Schnittke and Shostkovich. Schnittke and Shostakovich sound so aggressive, but I'll try again later.You can call Brahms a lot of things, aggressive is probably not one of them.
A lovely work. Just about everything I've heard from Stenhammar sounds lovely.You forgot the 6 string quartets. THE major cycle of romantic quartets in Scandinavia/Finland. Gorgeous works.
Piano? Lovely. Violin and orchestra? Loverrrly. Voice and piano? Purrrrfectly lovely. Orchestra? Expansively lovely. I yet have to find a Stenhammar work that doesn't sound lovely. By which I don't mean the music may sound undramatic or lacking structure. A Viking Mendelssohn.
Stenhammar's 2nd performed by Stig Westerberg/Stockholm PO. I love some of these Scandinavian symphonic composers and their clear inspirations from the majestic nature. I'm not sure if I prefer this one or the Neeme Järvi reading. I have to check how they compare in this work.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/512CVHW992L._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
Regarding Norwegian music, the Norwegians seem more reticent in promoting their music than the Finns. There was(is?) a label called Aurora which issued quite a lot of interesting stuff-Klaus Egge's Symphonies Nos. 1, 2 and 4, Piano Concerto No.2 and Cello Concerto, Conrad Baden's Symphony No.6, Bjarne Brustad's Symphony No. 2, Hallvard Johnsen's Symphony No.3, and Eivind Groven's big choral 'Draumkvaedet" -but these were all issued twenty years ago.
Simax(which definitely is still going strong) has issued Groven's Symphony No.2 and Piano Concerto, Olav Kielland's Symphony No.1 and Ludvig Irgens Jensen's huge choral 'Heimferd', Symphony, Tema con variazioni and Japanischer Fruhling(Jensen's Passacaglia and Partita Sinfonica-both fine works-were also on a twenty-year old CD) but, again, these were issued over 15 years ago. Apart from the new Braein CD discussed above I can't think of much else.
In the last decade BIS has seemed to take over with its Saeverud cycle, CDs of music by Geirr Tveitt, Groven's Symphony No. 1 and the new Fartein Valen cycle. Even the indefatigable CPO seems to have restricted its output to the Christian Sinding symphonies.
Two very fine living Norwegian composers-Halvor Haug and Ragnar Soderlind-are under-represented in the catalogues. (Arne Nordheim lies outside my area of taste!). On a visit to Oslo a couple of years ago or so I was disappointed to find little recently recorded music by Norwegian composers.
Contrast this with the efforts of Ondine in Finland or Dacapo in Denmark(although Ondine is branching out into music from other countries).
Of these composers-apart from Saeverud-the most interesting I think are Klaus Egge and Ludvig Irgens Jensen. As I remarked above it is sad that there has not been a modern set of the Egge symphonies. Egge was a composer of considerable musical craftsmanship and his music is at least interesting. The four purely orchestral works of Jensen I have heard(I am not sure that he wrote much else?) certainly deserve modern recordings and I am sure that Saraste intended to record some with the Oslo Philharmonic.
Cripes! Pretty wayout stuff there :)
There was me talking about conservative, mainstream Norwegian composers of the mid 20th century ;)
When i was on holiday in the little town of Stokmarknes on Hadseloya in the Vesteralen I discovered that it was the home town of a Norwegian rock band called Madrugada. Seemed incongruous somehow :)
As if my magic a new CD of Norwegian music is announced for release by Simax next month-It also includes Monrad Johansens noteworthy Piano Concerto.
http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product/NR_November08/PSC1234.htm
This includes 'Pan' by David Monrad-Johansen a piece I have on an old Phillips LP dating back to goodness knows when(coupled with Saeverud's Sinfonia Dolorosa') and the Piano Concerto of Johan Kvandal-who turns out to be Monrad Johansen's son.
If however you are looking for something a little more mainstream
Interesting view of what constitutes "mainstream," Ugh! (Reminds me of my favorite label name--MAINSTREAM.)
Anyway, time for other perspectives of what constitutes good music than Dundonnell's, time and past time, indeed!
And thanks for the links for Radkje and Grenager. Very listenable stuff to be sure.
More. Give us more!!
I am not exactly sure what you are getting at here but I can assure you that I very much welcome reading other people's perspectives on "what constitutes good music"!
More. Give us more!!
Glad to hear it!
(I had just misspent a few sad minutes a couple of days ago scrolling through this entire thread looking for something other than the tonal/orchestral/neo-romantic type of folks that were predominating. Finding Ugh!s post was genuinely heartening. Listening to the two folks he mentioned was genuinely enjoyable. I should probably have given more effort to making my post express more the joy at finding some mention of some truly new and interesting music than sorrow at the perspective you are of course more than welcome to continue to express. I may strongly deprecate the folks you and your colleagues promote, but I don't really deprecate the promoting, ya understand!)
I quite understand :)
[...]
Oh, and by the way...I am the same person who enjoys the music of Humphrey Searle, Benjamin Frankel and Alun Hoddinott among modern British composers! Ok, I suppose it is their orchestral music which most attracts me but "neo-romantic"? .....No!
Indeed.
Frankel's not someone I've heard, yet. I have Hoddinott's 2nd, 3rd, and 5th symphonies, but couldn't stomach the sixth. Searle, well, very nice!! You should be perfectly able to enjoy the Norwegians Eugene listed for you then. And once you've a belly full of Nordheim, you should be able to enjoy people like Bodin and Bock and Grippe and Enström and maybe even Rozmann. (Yes, I know, but I know the Swedes better than I know the Norwegians. That's why I was so keen for Eugene to continue naming names.)
Speaking of whom, the answer is "yes." And I've sent you a PM with details.
I discovered Blomdahl's third symfony on a Turnabout LP
TV-S 34318, LP, issued 1970: Contemporary symphonic music from Sweden.
Rosenberg Symphony No 6, Sinfonia semplice from 1951 played by Stockholms SO, Stig Westerberg recorded 1960-05-22.
Also includes Karl-Birger Blomdahl's third symphony, Facettes.
Two very strong works.
P.
Like Holmboe's 8th Symphony, also on Turnabout, that was a great LP.
That's going back a bit, isn't it :)
I discovered Blomdahl's third symfony on a Turnabout LPI have that LP. Somewhere. The Rosenberg nr 5 here is also reissued on Phono Suecia PSCD 100, coupled with Rosenbergs 6th under Blomstedt. I have that as well. Wonderful music.
TV-S 34318, LP, issued 1970: Contemporary symphonic music from Sweden.
Rosenberg Symphony No 6, Sinfonia semplice from 1951 played by Stockholms SO, Stig Westerberg recorded 1960-05-22.
Also includes Karl-Birger Blomdahl's third symphony, Facettes.
Two very strong works.
P.
I have that LP. Somewhere. The Rosenberg nr 5 here is also reissued on Phono Suecia PSCD 100, coupled with Rosenbergs 6th under Blomstedt. I have that as well. Wonderful music.
No...it is the Rosenberg No.3 which is on that CD coupled with No.6.
No. 5, unfortunately, is only available in an ancient(1940s) recording conducted by the composer.
The Scandinavian composers most in need of urgent attention in the recording studios are imo-
Norway-Klaus Egge
Sweden-Hilding Rosenberg
Finland-Aare Merikanto
Denmark-Niels Viggo Bentzon
There are significant gaps in their recorded output. Bentzon is the most difficult to tackle since he wrote so much(24 symphonies, for example).
The Scandinavian composers most in need of urgent attention in the recording studios are imo-
Norway-Klaus Egge
Sweden-Hilding Rosenberg
Finland-Aare Merikanto
Denmark-Niels Viggo Bentzon
There are significant gaps in their recorded output. Bentzon is the most difficult to tackle since he wrote so much(24 symphonies, for example).
Bentzon reminds me of Martinu. Both composers composed a lot of music (several hundred!). Both composers can be very creative, original and inspirational, while at the same time the quality of their works are uneven. In a way, the unevenness almost add to the attraction.
I know nothing of Ernest Pingoud, but am listening to "Extinguished Torches" right now on our classical radio from this disc. :D
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41vnPtqMp6L._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
This sounds sort of like...minimalistic Debussy....with undulating scales and fluttery bird metaphors, much double reed goodness...lovely and interesting music. Reminiscent of La Mer in its crescendos at times. Short piece...I'd like to hear more...
I am listening to Kallstenius's Dalarapsodi, thanks to Him Who Must Not Be Named - lovely rustic music, with a crispness and bite to it that saves it from being blandly beautiful. Nice solos, lovely woodwind writing, and a tasteful use of percussion. I love it. Clear as a Scandinavian sky.
Yes, I too have been enjoying this work today. The Dalarapsodi gets better and better as it progresses; an interesting discovery. I can already detect the first tentative signs of a group of 'so-called Kallstenius experts' in the making. ;D
I know that I should really go back to listening to more music by the great mainstream composers-Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Dvorak etc etc.-but I am (irresistibly) drawn to continually explore the outer fringes of the symphonic world ;D
One does encounter quite a few 'turkeys' on the journey but when composers like Braga Santos and-possibly-now Kallstenius are discovered and their music turns out to be at least interesting, and often a great deal more than that.......well that just is so plain exciting :) :)
I have listened to the Dalarapsodi yet another time. It's in four sections - 1 and 3 are slow and dominated by the horn, with 1 having a rather serious introductory character and 3 a wonderfully lyrical one, with melodic/harmonic twists that sound... American; 2 and 4 are pastoral and lively, infused with a John Ireland-like acerbity.
Marvellous piece!
Oh....very well...I had better send you some more Kallstenius then ;D ;D ;D
Today it is the independence day of Finland so it's a good day to listen to Finnish composers. :)(http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/9365/flagsq8.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)
I have listened to the Dalarapsodi yet another time. It's in four sections - 1 and 3 are slow and dominated by the horn, with 1 having a rather serious introductory character and 3 a wonderfully lyrical one, with melodic/harmonic twists that sound... American; 2 and 4 are pastoral and lively, infused with a John Ireland-like acerbity.
Marvellous piece!
Even my wife said: "This is not as bad as usual" ::)
I have listened several times to Kallstenius's 'Dalarapsodie' again today; a wonderful work which I can't recommend strongly enough. A great discovery. Even my wife said: "This is not as bad as usual" ::)
Never in my entire life have I conceived of myself as the instigator of improved marital harmony :o :)
Glad to see Kallstenius and the Davises are doing well... ;) The Dalarapsodi is the kind of piece which, once heard, you seem to have known all your life.
[I have been absent from GMG lately, as some will have noticed, for all the right reasons (writing)]
That's what the liner notes say. But I was curious. I held off to a Hamerik disc (symphony 7 IIRC), as well as one by Norgärd and another composer, with works based on Andersen tales. Should I go back ? It's a clearance sale. My favourite second hand store is going out of business - after some 35 years... :'(
Very, very quickly before I finally go to bed!Se my comments in the purchases thread where you didn't comment. So you know him afterall!
Braein? Yes, I bought that cd when it came out. Pleasant enough works but certainly not a patch on the far greater Norwegian composers like Saeverud, Egge, Valen(though he is not to my own particular taste), Jensen, Groven, Soderlind or Haug. I thought all three symphonies rather lightweight to be honest :(
Glad to see Kallstenius and the Davises are doing well... ;) The Dalarapsodi is the kind of piece which, once heard, you seem to have known all your life.
[I have been absent from GMG lately, as some will have noticed, for all the right reasons (writing)]
If you like Norgard, then I'd suggest getting the disc with the Andersen cantata. It isn't as cheap as all Dacapo discs, but you can nonetheless find copies for around US$10 plus shipping. See my review (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FGGKDK?ie=UTF8&tag=3636363-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B000FGGKDK) at Amazon. "The Will of the Wisps Go to Town" is not one of Norgard's best works, but it has some good moments and possibly gives us a hint of what his Symphony No. 7, to be premiered next month, will sound like.
I have listened several times to Kallstenius's 'Dalarapsodie' again today; a wonderful work which I can't recommend strongly enough. A great discovery. Even my wife said: "This is not as bad as usual" ::)Your recommendations have historically proved very fruitful for me. Just downloaded this from Amazon for 0.89c. Now that's what I call value for money.
Your recommendations have historically proved very fruitful for me. Just downloaded this from Amazon for 0.89c. Now that's what I call value for money.
I am so sorry! You could have saved yourself the money! Jeffrey got the Dalarapsodi from me for nothing ;DThat's alright. My 89c has pushed me over the $25 limit and I got a free $5 download voucher! In the spirit of recommendations (and this particular thread) lets have some suggestions on what Scandinavian and Finnish composers work I should spend the money on.
That's alright. My 89c has pushed me over the $25 limit and I got a free $5 download voucher! In the spirit of recommendations (and this particular thread) lets have some suggestions on what Scandinavian and Finnish composers work I should spend the money on.
Your recommendations have historically proved very fruitful for me. Just downloaded this from Amazon for 0.89c. Now that's what I call value for money.
Difficult question to answer without knowing what you are already familiar with. From your previous posts I see that you are a Pettersson admirer and you also have mentioned Atterberg and Rangstrom.
Have you explored the five symphonies of Wilhelm Peterson-Berger or the five of Hugo Alfven? If you like Atterberg and Rangstrom then these should appeal as well-lush, romantic, nationalist Swedish music.
Amongst the (slightly) more modern Swedish composers I like Gosta Nystroem, Dag Wiren and Karl-Biger Blomdahl.
Finns? Kokkonen, Englund and Sallinen. If you like Shostakovich then these composers would be riight up your street ;D
Norwegians-Saeverud(craggy, individualistic)
Danes-Holmboe(one of the greatest of all 20th century composers in my opinion).
Let me plug the string quartets of Wiren again. Very fine and entertaining works.
I was going to say..."How could I forget Hilding Rosenberg?"
and then I remembered that almost everybody else has as well! :( :(
I'd very much agree with Colin's recommendations. Although not exactly scandinavian do you know the first two symphonies by the New Zealand composer Douglas Lilburn? A strong recommendation.What do you mean - "Not exactly Scandinavian"? Not Scandinavian at all! Hey I'm open to all suggestions, just thought I'd limit it to our Northern friends for the sake of this thread. For information I loved the Atterberg box set (particularly 2, 3-who doesn't- and 6), and the Rangstrom box - and yes, "lush" is a great description. Sibelius of course, particularly 2, 4, 5, Lemminkainen. Pettersson 6,7 and 8 wrench at your guts. Recently been listening to Chavez complete symphonies (particularly 2 and 4), Saygun (love 1 and 3). Shostakovich or course (4's my favourite, and the SQs). Only heard Alfven 4. Quite liked Langgaard 4,5 and 6. Is this enough?
What do you mean - "Not exactly Scandinavian"? Not Scandinavian at all! Hey I'm open to all suggestions, just thought I'd limit it to our Northern friends for the sake of this thread. For information I loved the Atterberg box set (particularly 2, 3-who doesn't- and 6), and the Rangstrom box - and yes, "lush" is a great description. Sibelius of course, particularly 2, 4, 5, Lemminkainen. Pettersson 6,7 and 8 wrench at your guts. Recently been listening to Chavez complete symphonies (particularly 2 and 4), Saygun (love 1 and 3). Shostakovich or course (4's my favourite, and the SQs). Only heard Alfven 4. Quite liked Langgaard 4,5 and 6. Is this enough?No. Nielsen is necessary.Just listened to the Naxos/Schønwandt disc of his 3rd symphony. Totally awesome.
What do you mean - "Not exactly Scandinavian"? Not Scandinavian at all! Hey I'm open to all suggestions, just thought I'd limit it to our Northern friends for the sake of this thread. For information I loved the Atterberg box set (particularly 2, 3-who doesn't- and 6), and the Rangstrom box - and yes, "lush" is a great description. Sibelius of course, particularly 2, 4, 5, Lemminkainen. Pettersson 6,7 and 8 wrench at your guts. Recently been listening to Chavez complete symphonies (particularly 2 and 4), Saygun (love 1 and 3). Shostakovich or course (4's my favourite, and the SQs). Only heard Alfven 4. Quite liked Langgaard 4,5 and 6. Is this enough?
What do you mean - "Not exactly Scandinavian"? Not Scandinavian at all! Hey I'm open to all suggestions, just thought I'd limit it to our Northern friends for the sake of this thread. For information I loved the Atterberg box set (particularly 2, 3-who doesn't- and 6), and the Rangstrom box - and yes, "lush" is a great description. Sibelius of course, particularly 2, 4, 5, Lemminkainen. Pettersson 6,7 and 8 wrench at your guts. Recently been listening to Chavez complete symphonies (particularly 2 and 4), Saygun (love 1 and 3). Shostakovich or course (4's my favourite, and the SQs). Only heard Alfven 4. Quite liked Langgaard 4,5 and 6. Is this enough?
if you don't know the Tubin symphonies try 1,2,4,5 and 10 (but they are all great)
Not enough, but just great! Anyhow: if you don't accept Lilburn in this row (but I agree with Jeffrey that both he and e.g. Hanson could be considered ''''Scandinavians'''' as well), you would perhaps accept Estonians and Latvians. Do you happen to know Tubin's cycle? His ten symphonies are one of the best symphonic cycles that I know and would nicely fit in your list. :)
As far as I'm concerned, the same applies to Vagn Holmboe. Personally, I would prefer both to all these Swedish symphonists (Rangstroem, Alfvén, Nystroem, Wirén, Rosenberg, Petterson including). And there's a (Swedish) Finn too that I prefer above most of these: Einar Englund.
I'm a great fan of scandinavian symphonists, and, apart from Finland, only Sweden and Denmark can be talked to in the same breath in terms of being hailed as fertile symphonic ground. Although I agree about Holmboe's status, I'd add Langgaard and Koppel as main proponents of the 'classic' ('nielsenesque') school of symphony. BUT - it's my firm belief that "all those swedish symphonists" present a very different and just as valuable musical language as the Danes'. For one thing, there is a striking difference between the slightly angular, direct language of the Danes vs the more oblique, discursive, curvaceous one of the Swedes. I don't think one can be termed better, although the distinction between the two is not a fiction. Preferring one to the other is perfectly legitimate, though !Yes, Koppel has been on my "to explore" list for far too long. Particular works recommended as starting points? Anyone?
Yes, Koppel has been on my "to explore" list for far too long. Particular works recommended as starting points? Anyone?
I'm a great fan of scandinavian symphonists, and, apart from Finland, only Sweden and Denmark can be talked to in the same breath in terms of being hailed as fertile symphonic ground. Although I agree about Holmboe's status, I'd add Langgaard and Koppel as main proponents of the 'classic' ('nielsenesque') school of symphony. BUT - it's my firm belief that "all those swedish symphonists" present a very different and just as valuable musical language as the Danes'. For one thing, there is a striking difference between the slightly angular, direct language of the Danes vs the more oblique, discursive, curvaceous one of the Swedes. I don't think one can be termed better, although the distinction between the two is not a fiction. Preferring one to the other is perfectly legitimate, though !
Langgaard is so variable that a general opinion on his work is difficult to arrive at.
I am afraid that I am not sold on Langgaard and feel that his posthumous reputation is inflated! I know that many disagree with me though ;D
Langgaard is so variable that a general opiniomn on his work is difficlt to arrive at.
Anybody heard the best sympjhony written in Norway? Finn Mortensens sole example.
Your wish...etc etc!I only have it on a cassette somewhere. Anyway it's a quite old recording, I wish for a new one.
I am listening to it again right now! I have far too many cds!!
Mortensen's got a very fine, tonal, wind quintet as well.
I would like to see Ludvig Irgens Jensen get more exposure too. Saraste promised to record some Jensen but it hasn't happened yet.
He is good, indeedie - I have the disc containing his Japanese song cycle and misc orchestral works on Simax, and the passacaglia was rather memorable.
BTW, it's very weird that Mortensen and Irgens Jensen were brought up here at the same time - I grabbed a dubiously legal torrent from Demonoid a few weeks ago of Mortensen's symphony no.1 and an Irgens Jensen symphony of some type which wasn't very well described by the uploader. I found both well worth returning to, and it put Mortensen on my radar for the first time.
If you have the Simax disc with the 'Japanischer Fruhling' then the couplings are the 'Tema con Vaiazioni' for orchestra and the Sinfonia in D minor(Re). The other Jensen discs I have are an NIM disc with the Passacaglia for orchestra, the Partita Sinfonica and the Violin Sonata and a Simax disc boxed set of the huge Choral Symphony 'Heimferd'. Jensen did not write any other symphonic works as far as I am aware.
I gather from what you are saying that you don't think that Norway can be regarded as "fertile symphonic ground"? I don't necessarily disagree with an assessment that Norway has not produced a symphonist to rank as highly as Sibelius, Nielsen or Holmboe but I would regard Saeverud's symphonies as well up in a second division of composers.
Anybody heard the best symphony written in Norway? Finn Mortensens sole example.
Agreed (re: Saeverud). But although there have been a few good to great norwegian symphonists, the *fertility* factor does not seem as prevalent as in its immediate neighbours. Never heard of Mortensen before, though. Sounds interesting...
I think the reason is historic - both Denmark and Sweden have been confident states for many centuries, whereas Norway became a sovereign nation only in 1905. Think of the court cultures that fostered musical talent.
There is a point in that. The 'confidence' is often symbolized by a monarchy, a mediator of unity, identity and historical continuity often not well understood by the poor inhabitants of all those poor republics. ;)
But Finland and the other Baltic countries (in my classification, Latvia, Estonia and Finland form the three Baltic countries, Lithuania belongs to Central Europe :) ) only became independent states, and indeed nations in many respects, around WWI. It didn't prevent them from producing Sibelius, Tubin, Englund, Rautavaara, Aho .. Especially Finland can be regarded the music academy of Europe - but the nation doesn't fit in your "centuries old confident state" model. ::)
Hm, then we'll have to dig deeper... Let's agree there must be a climate conducive to the production of great music. A stable state is or can be one condition. And you must have the 'intellectual infrastructure' (good education system, publishers, conservatories et cetera).
Exactly. A proof might be, that my Tubin favourites are: nos. 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. ;) Which means, that the two of us combined are in favour of all ten symphonies - enough proof for me of a really special symphonic cycle. :)
Mortensen's got a very fine, tonal, wind quintet as well.
In that case, most of Europe in the past century wouldn't have produced much of a symphonist. At least no Russians, no Belgians, no Ukrainians, no Poles, no Hungarians, no Germans, no ... ::)
Your theory helps explain the absence of a major American symphonist, however. ;)
I must investigate this composer, especially as I enjoyed his performance as Aragorn in the Lord of The Rings movies so much ;D
Cheeky!
'Stable' wasn't the best word to use, I guess... This is a large subject, and you'd have to look at the history of every separate nation to see how its musical life was/is organised, which I won't be doing... ;)
Otto Olsson is a composer I like very much. His music is like no-one else's. I particularly like his beautiful, reflective organ pieces and his choral works (Te Deum and Requiem). I like his symphony, but his best abilities were fired by his duties as organist of the Stockholm cathedral.Reminds me of the Norwegian Ole Olsen (1850 - 1927), who wrote a once very popular "Liten suite". He also wrote several operas (Svein Uræd, Lajla).
The Symphony No.1 is subtitled "Everything that is created comes to an end' and was influenced by the sinking of the 'Titanic', so is unlikely to be a particularly cheery work
Although the Swedish company has recorded the symphonies of Alfven, Nystroem, Larsson and Blomdahl the last two of these were a long time ago now. In recent years BIS has concentrated more on Scandinavian composers like Holmboe, Saeverud and Valen.Don't forget Stenhammer.
Don't forget Stenhammer.
But why, oh why Berg and not add the Roses?
Don't underestimate Swedish humour.
Thanks for the information, Colin. Never heard of Natanael Berg, only Alban.
I see that CPO have scheduled a cd release for next month of the 1st and 2nd Symphonies of the Swedish composer, Natanael Berg(1879-1957)-conductor Ari Rasilainen.That's great news! Any composer who was friends with Atterberg, who exhibits a sense of humor, and who enables me to say "I listen to Berg" without having to put up with 12-tone ;D , is a winner in my book!
Berg was-as far as I know-the only composer who doubled as a vet ;D He worked for many years as a veterinary officer attached to the Swedish Army, liked wearing his army uniform and frequently conducted in it. He was a close friend and near contemporary of Kurt Atterberg, shared with him and with Wilhelm Peterson-Berger a persona noted for irrascibility, and a musical style noted for its adherence to late romanticism.
Berg and Atterberg both wrote symphonies in 1918 as a bet to try to dispel the notion that all Swedish symphonies had to be gloomy-Atterberg produced his Symphony No.4 'Sinfonia Piccola' and Berg the Symphony No.4 'Pezzo Sinfonica'. The Berg has been recorded twice; there is a Sterling cd with a recording dating from 1976 and a more modern Phono Suecia-
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classRev/2003/Sept03/natanael_berg.htm
It's Stenhammar.
Listened to this week: Avalon, a short symphonic poem for soprano and orchestra, as well as symphonies 2 and 3 by the danish composer Peder Gram (1881-1956). I have no hesitation in hailing Avalon and the first half of symphony 2 as remarkable accomplishments. I'm not so sure about the rest, but further acquaintance may prove me wrong. In short: symphony 2 is a non-conventional five sections work played continuously. The first three are short and utterly captivating in their originality. The rest attempts to achieve a 'symphonic' working out of the material, but I find it more conventional. Symphony 3 sounds good without scaling the heights. Its three substantial movements have the weigth and breadth of utterance of a real symphony. I'll have to give it a few more spins to figure out if the thematic material is 'very good' or 'merely serviceable'. It was late last night, and I wouldn't want to form a definite opinion based on that single hearing.
Avalon is a big (less than 6 minutes) miniature masterpiece. It held me entranced fromf first note to last. Brilliant orchestration.
Discovered this delightful human being while listening to the Kronos Quartet performing a collection of his compositions. This DVD is valuable in learning more about Pelle, what inspires him to let the monster, as he calls music, take complete possession of him, enticing him to a charming solo dance in his home.
Puts a smile on my face from beginning to end! :)
In regards to the Finnish and Norwegian composers could anyone please indicate omissions to the following lists of symphonies I'm aware have been issued on commercial CD?
An excellent question for fellow member Dundonnell. But here is a list he compiled with 'gaps in the symphonic repertoire'...:
http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,10427.msg258512.html#msg258512
What I meant to ask (but perhaps wasn't entirely clear in my choice of words) is what other symphonies than those listed have already been issued on CD.
I am not aware of any other Finnish or Norwegian symphonies available on cd. That does not however mean that there are not others-my tastes do not run to 'modernist' composers ;D
There's Meriläinen's 3rd symphony on Finlandia.
I'll take that as good evidence I've not likely missed anything that would be of great significance to me.
Have a look at the Danish and Swedish lists shortly.
My wallet salutes you ;D ;D
I'm sure it's an empty gesture.
CPO has just released a cd of two symphonies(No.1 "Zion" and No.2 "Hellas") by the Danish composer Rudolph Simonsen(1889-1947)-
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Rudolph%20Simonsen%3A%20Symphonien%20Nr.%201%202/hnum/9784248
Simonsen is (yet another) totally unknown name to me ;D He appears to have been a Danish Jew, a successful and important music administrator in succession to Carl Nielsen and the composer of four symphonies in total. The Symphony No.2 won a bronze medal in the arts competition for the 1928 Olympic Games 8) and has been recorded before(Danacord recording from 1954 conducted by Launy Grondahl): review-
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classRev/2001/Mar01/Danish.htm
The comparisons in the review with VW's 4th and Stanley Bates' 3rd sound promising :)
There appears to be no end to CPO's capacity to unearth forgotten composers ;D
I shall have to order this CD without delay. Surely you are trying to get revenge for Gardener Read and Halsey Stevens ;D
First glance only-
Danish:
Sven Erik Tarp-Symphony No.7 "Galaxy"(Da Capo)
Swedish:
Natanael Berg-Symphony No.1 "Alles endet was entstehet" and Symphony No.2 "Arstiderna"(CPO)
Eduard Tubin-Swedish? Surely Tubin was an Estonian composer first and foremost despite living in Sweden for the second half of his life?
Dag Wiren-has his Symphony No.1 really been recorded? Wiren repudiated the work.
A number of the names you listed were totally unknown to me until now :)
But-as a result-I have now ordered the two Stale Kleiberg symphonies and the Oistein Sommerfeldt ;D I liked the sound of those two composers from what I could find on the net ;D I may try harder to find out more about the Alf Hurum and the Harald Lie.
My wallet salutes you ;D ;D
From where I gather your enthusiasms lie I believe both the Hurum and Lie CD's would be well worth acquiring, - both the symphonies are lengthy and substantial. There's a nice brief description of each of them here:
www.recordsinternational.com/archive/RICatalogSept98.html
Thank you very much for the recommendations for the Hurum and the Lie-the reviews certainly make both sound very appealing to me ;D Any others I might like? :)Do you know that Alf Hurum emigrated to Hawaii where he founded the Honolulu Symphony orchestra where he was conductor and manager for several decades?
Sorry, I had not noticed the omission of the Wiren 5th(which you have picked up on yourself). I was going to add the Peder Gram symphonies(Nos. 1, 2 and 3 actually) on DaCapo but Andre has beaten be to it.
The Natanael Berg 1st and 2nd have been released-I have them ;D
As for Tubin...I quite understand the dilemma of where to place him :)
Do you know that Alf Hurum emigrated to Hawaii where he founded the Honolulu Symphony orchestra where he was conductor and manager for several decades?
Thank you very much for the recommendations for the Hurum and the Lie-the reviews certainly make both sound very appealing to me ;D Any others I might like? :)
[/quote
Of the Norwegian symphonies anyone in tune with the world of Allan Pettersson couldn't go wrong trying
Kjell Mork Karlsen's Symphony No.3 (on Aurora) subtitled "The Ice Palace". I hear a heavy influence from
Pettersson's Symphony 7 here, - a similar sound and atmosphere. It's a quite gripping and powerful piece
IMO (about 20' if I recall correctly).
Two Danish figures that shouldn't be overlooked (if you're not familiar) are Poul Schierbeck & Franz Syberg.
Hurwitz reviews Schierbeck's Symphony here:
www.classicstoday.com/digest/pdigest.asp?perfidx=12508
Rob Barnett's take on Syberg's Symphonic Works is here:
www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2003/Aug03/syberg_symphony.htm
Thank you very much for the recommendations for the Hurum and the Lie-the reviews certainly make both sound very appealing to me ;D Any others I might like? :)
[/quote
Of the Norwegian symphonies anyone in tune with the world of Allan Pettersson couldn't go wrong trying
Kjell Mork Karlsen's Symphony No.3 (on Aurora) subtitled "The Ice Palace". I hear a heavy influence from
Pettersson's Symphony 7 here, - a similar sound and atmosphere. It's a quite gripping and powerful piece
IMO (about 20' if I recall correctly).
Two Danish figures that shouldn't be overlooked (if you're not familiar) are Poul Schierbeck & Franz Syberg.
Hurwitz reviews Schierbeck's Symphony here:
www.classicstoday.com/digest/pdigest.asp?perfidx=12508
Rob Barnett's take on Syberg's Symphonic Works is here:
www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2003/Aug03/syberg_symphony.htm
Thanks again! I have ordered the Hurum and the Harald Lie symphonies and will investigate the Karlsen, Schierbeck and Syberg :)
I have just listened to the Aurora disc of the two Stale Kleiberg symphonies and posted-with tremendous enthusiasm about the disc-in the 'What Are You Listening To Thread".Now we just need towait for Aurora to be available in the UK again:
If you are an admirer of Debussy and Bax then Kleiberg's music-updated of course to the early 21st century-should be just up your street ;D
A great discovery of some very beautiful music which I would never have made but for this forum and its members :) Thanks, Greg(J)!!
Listening again after several years to Kjell Mork Karlsen's Symphony No.3 I now realize my description of it as
"gripping and powerful" suffered alot from the hyperbole of an idealized recollection. Somewhere between
"potent and involving" and just "engaging and interesting" would be my more temperate response now.
I still hear many Petterssonian type sounds in the piece (though a kind of slow-motion-like Pettersson), but what's completely lacking are those lyrical visionary islands of consolation and transcendence that often surface out of the tumult in a Pettersson symphony. There's nothing really at all thematically memorable in the Karlsen, - it depends entirely on atmosphere to make its effect. Makes me think now of Christopher Rouse's 1rst Symphony, which I always thought had affinities with A.P.
CPO has just released a cd of two symphonies(No.1 "Zion" and No.2 "Hellas") by the Danish composer Rudolph Simonsen(1889-1947)-
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Rudolph%20Simonsen%3A%20Symphonien%20Nr.%201%202/hnum/9784248
Simonsen is (yet another) totally unknown name to me ;D He appears to have been a Danish Jew, a successful and important music administrator in succession to Carl Nielsen and the composer of four symphonies in total. The Symphony No.2 won a bronze medal in the arts competition for the 1928 Olympic Games 8) and has been recorded before(Danacord recording from 1954 conducted by Launy Grondahl): review-
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classRev/2001/Mar01/Danish.htm
The comparisons in the review with VW's 4th and Stanley Bates' 3rd sound promising :)
There appears to be no end to CPO's capacity to unearth forgotten composers ;D
I absolutely deny the charge that I "made you buy" this Simonsen cd, Jeffrey $:)
I drew its existence to the attention of other members of this site. You were perfectly entitled to think "oh, that's another completely unknown obscure composer that Colin has found; I shall wait to hear what others think of the music before I even consider buying the cd myself".
I don't think that being caught smuggling new cds into your house and telling Katy that "Colin made me buy it" will cut much ice with your dear wife ;D ;D
Anyway.....it sounds good and I shall-naturally-have to buy the cd myself :) Who needs to buy anything to eat? ;D
And another symphonist I have to add to the list...
Wasn't the symphony supposed to have died in the 20th century?! If CPO (and others) go on like this, there hasn't been a better one.
Maybe his film music (http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=1322) for many Bergman films would be more palatable?
See? One learns something new everyday :D
Coincidentally, a review of Norgard's quartets 7-10 in the J-F American Record Guide issue begins thus: "The prevalence of Nor composers in Denmark never ceases to amaze and amuse me. There's Nordheim and Nordgren and Nordentoft, Norby, Norholm and Nordstrom. How do you tell them part?)"
I had no idea there was more than one Nordgren ! Can we have some details ? I think we have unearthed a good vein here :).
Coincidentally, a review of Norgard's quartets 7-10 in the J-F American Record Guide issue begins thus: "The prevalence of Nor composers in Denmark never ceases to amaze and amuse me. There's Nordheim and Nordgren and Nordentoft, Norby, Norholm and Nordstrom. How do you tell them part?)"
Lets make a thread about Scandinavian composers.
I start with a few 20th century composers that I listen to now, and impress me mightily.
Rautavaara/Madetoja/Merikanto/Kokkonen/Bergman/Klami/Englund and so on.
Would love lots of input, to increase my knowledge and collection of the composers mentioned, and recommended.
Thanks
There are so many excellent Scandinavian composers, far too many to itemize here. I can, however, mention my favorites. The first is the almighty Sibelius; love almost all his works. One Finnish composer influenced by the maestro is Leevi Madetoja. He is mentioned, I believe, elsewhere in the forum. I also recommend the following composers without, however listing specific works: Uno Klami, Merrikanto, Pingoud, Raitio ( I love his music; not prolific but is sensitive, subtle, symphonic poem composer); Einer England; Rautavaara (sp?); Sallinen. In Denmark of course there is the master Carl Nielson; I like the work of the Norwegian Klaus Egge (particularly the Piano Concerto); Johansen; Svendsen; Groven. Dag Wiren and Hilding rosenberg are the two favorites of mine from Sweden. These are just a few notables from the 1st half of the 20th century. I'm certain there were composers writig in the 70's, 80's, 90's but other than the finnish composers I don't know who is current. You've probably already received much info from your initial posting.
At the expence of being considered a nit-picker (which I definitely am and which has been proven earlier in this thread... ;D) I just have to correct a few spellings in your post (I suspect you wrote those names without checking the spelling and you did well). However, if I spelled your big boy, Frank Martian, incorrectly, you would also respond. ;)
Uuno Klami. Merikanto, with one r only. Einar Englund. Rautavaara was correctly spelled. And on behalf of the Danes, it's Nielsen.
"you Anglo-Saxons" ???
There are plenty descendents of the Saxons in the northern and eastern parts of the Netherlands, as you know :)
Colin (Dundonnell) made me buy this CD (at enormous personal expense I point out) but it was worth it. A GREAT CD. The absolutely beautiful slow movement of Simonsensen's Symphony No 2 "Hellas" had me in tears (not necessarily a difficult thing in itself :'() and I am delighted to be introduced to this great composer - I know that I look out for 'undeservedly neglected composers' - but I really think that this is something quite special. The symphonies, from the 1920s do show the influence of Simonsen's great compatriot - Nielsen, and Respighi at times, but he is his own man too. Like Braga Santos (remember him? ;D) Simonsen made no effort to promote his own music, preferring to concentrate on his work as a teacher and educator and in spending his time reading the work of philosophers like Spinoza. He sounds an endearing character (sadly there is no photo of him in the CPO booklet). "He had a fluent command of Greek, Latin and Hebrew...[and remained]...a somewhat unpractical person." As a Danish Jew he had to flee, with his family, to Sweden in 1943 (the Danes, were the only country to make any serious effort to save their jews from extermination at the hands of the Nazis) - but he never recovered from this and died "prematurely aged" at aged 58 in 1947.
I think that he is a great composer.
OH YES!!!
I agree with absolutely everything Jeffrey as said! What a discovery! Amazingly good music! Beautiful, moving, dramatic, melodious. One of the finest Danish composers of his generation. How could music like this have lain unplayed for so long? Once again, a HUGE thank you to CPO for resurrecting it ;D
Yes, Simonsen is influenced by Nielsen but there are clear echoes of the glorious rich hieratic sounds of Respighi and Bloch too. The slow movements of both symphonies are profoundly moving. I listened to the first movement of No.1 thinking that the music was lively but not overly distinctive but was then astounded by the slow-moving grandeur of the slow movement(which the programme not author correctly compares to Nielsen's 'Helios' Overture). What a tragedy that Toscanini-who expressed an interest in the score-never got the chance to perform the piece!
For Nielsen lovers....oh, and Braga Santos lovers too ;D...this is a must!
And plenty of non-saxons living in North America :D
Generalizations often occur when you imagine NA from a european POV ;) ;).
I'm afraid you don't know what you're talking about, my friend. Aboriginal populations? ??? FYI the 6 million French speaking inhabitants of Quebec and their same number scattered across Canada and the United States are neither aboriginal nor Anglo-Saxons. And we certainly don't know of any masters. Pheeew!
Simonsen is on my list now! :)Not on mine - since it's not even on the pre-release lists in the UK yet (where I do most of my Internet CD shopping).
Not on mine - since it's not even on the pre-release lists in the UK yet (where I do most of my Internet CD shopping).
One doesn't buy CPO in the UK on principle. ;) For CPO, only JPC in Germany will do. At present on offer:Well presumably it will be much cheaper on mdt, full price cpo currently available at 9 GBP - and less freight as well, minimum at cpo is 6 E IIRC, one disc at mdt is GBP 1,50......
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Rudolph-Simonsen-Symphonien-Nr-1-2/hnum/9784248
Is CPO not stocked by MDT anymore then? I didn't think i'd seen any of their releases on the lists recently. And here I was happily waiting for another release in the Sallinen edition and i've probably missed some...Oh yes they are, though obviously cpo releases a little late in the UK. I need the latest Sallinen as well, I've been following the series and find it very fine.
Colin, Nielsen's 'Helios' comparison with slow movement of Simonsen's 'Zion' Symphony - absolutely spot on - can't think why I didn't notice this before. Bloch/Respighi - yes, but what a great composer.Have you read Hurwitz on this?
Great cover art too.
Have you read Hurwitz on this?
http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=12136 (http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=12136)
Anyone familiar with him? Matti?
I have just ordered a couple of symphonies on Ondine by a Finnish composer called Tauno Marttinen(1912-2008). Apparently he wrote ten symphonies in total.
Anyone familiar with him? Matti?
I'm only aware of the BIS CD with Symphonies 1&8 and haven't played the music in years, but my recollection isn't
favorable, - though perhaps that little crumb is worse than nothing if it turns your anticipatory excitement into dread.
BIS yes...not Ondine. Oh dear!
:o ::)
I would like to say something really rude but habitual good manners deter me from expressing just exactly what I think of his bilge!
Remember Stanley Bate though, Colin, - where you loved every second of what I found second-rate.
perhaps that little crumb is worse than nothing if it turns your anticipatory excitement into dread.
less sleek and creamily erogenous, blunter and more ejaculatory - but these are nuances.
Nope. Many of you are much better informed of Finnish music than I am. Marttinen I know by name, and I know he composed some operas which I have not heard. That he composed also symphonies is news to me. Hope you'll enjoy them!
If his works smack of Sibelian influences I'd be most interested.
Colin: inbox full. $:)
I shall let you know once I have listened to the two symphonies(Nos.1 and 8)-tomorrow?-but I kind of doubt that they will sound Sibelian ;D
Colin: inbox full. $:)
I am listening to the Marttinen disc now :-\
I don't know whether you would like this music, schweitzeralan. There is a quite glorious, sonorous, chorale halfway through the 8th symphony but it is then smashed to pieces by savage dissonance. The music in general is dodecaphonic, Schoenbergian stuff. The Symphony No.1 is a rather anonymous piece while the Violin Concerto is dry, acerbic and not very interesting or attractive to my ears. The Symphony No.8 is a bit more interesting and eventful with some very powerful moments which are undoubtedly impressive but the last thing this music is is 'Sibelian' ;D The symphony ends with an ear-splitting, shattering climax followed by a gentle violin solo against quiet drum taps. Hmm.....I might come back to the 8th :)
I knew the Bo Linde Violin Concerto already from the Naxos disc(coupled with the excellent Cello Concerto). The Violin Concerto is a superb piece, reminiscent of the Britten, Walton or Profoviev concertos.
The revelation however is the Sinfonia(Symphony No.2)-an immensely powerful work and quite one of the finest Swedish symphonies of the post-war period. It is a much grimmer and angrier work than I would have expected from this pupil of Larsson whose music was rather out of favour in the late 1950s and 60s(he died tragically young aged 37 in 1970) but is a real talent.
(Incidentally, although the cd cover advertises the disc as Vol. 1 of Linde's complete orchestral music BIS has never followed up with anymore!)
Lundquist is another composer of interest whom I don't think we have discussed yet.
I do have a symphony by Lundquist on LP and CD (I think that it is No 3 but I can't find it at the moment). It is a fine, rather dark tonal work, dedicated (if I remember correctly) to the memory of Lundquist's wife. I will look out for it.
I can't find any evidence that No.3 was ever recorded. No.7 (subtitled "Humanity") was apparently written as a memorial to Dag Hammarskjold, -
a vocal work setting texts by Hammarskjold himself (Markings), Tolstoy (War & Peace) and the Latin Requiem. No.1 is purely orchestral and about
20' long. You must be thinking of one or the other of these.
Yes, apologies - this is the one I have - No 1:
BTW, Michael Herman is apparently preparing a Scandinavian Symphonies recordings discography for MusicWeb (I wonder if it will include Finland). Given the usefulness of his other work along these lines I look forward to that with some anticipation.
OH NO!! Not more suggestions!!!
I shall need to come out of retirement and get another job to pay for the cds I didn't know about ;D
(Seriously, his lists of British and Commonwealth Symphonies and Concertos to which he has now added Belgian, Dutch, French and Swiss Symphonies represent a marvellous achievement :) I see that our own pjme helped with the research. Thanks to Peter :))
Van, I see an SQ on that Hurum cd. Reviews? please!
SQ is a lovely, engaging work, very lyrical with a strong sense of nature and a great foil to the two orchestral works with which it is coupled. This is my most played CD at the moment.
After the big surprise offered by Irgens-Jensen's Symphony (after I was urged to buy it in a nocturnal posting by on overwhelmed Dundonnell ;D ) I decided to give Alf Hurum (1882-1972, actually I had never heard of him before :-X ) and his Symphony (1927 I think) a try too. Ordered for a copy. ;) You will hear more from me. 0:)
Can't recommend this strongly enough (thanks to Greg). A wonderful CD. The symphonic poem and Symphony are truly marvellous. Hurum (1882-1972) was a Norwegian and conductor of the Honolulu SO ! (his wife was from Honolulu). These works would, I think, appeal to admirers of Vaughan Williams. He was apparently the first Norwegian composer to imbrace impressionism in music - the critics initially 'turned their noses up' at the music but he gained increasing acceptance and together with Rudolph Simonsen, he is the best discovery for me this year:
Will be interested to hear your views - hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Did you discover Rudolph Simonsen yet (symphonies 1 and 2 on CPO)?
I hope to smuggle a copy of the Rudolph Simonsen symphonies into my house as soon as CPO decides to put it on offer. 0:)
Disgraceful behaviour ;D
This from "the King of the South Coast Smugglers" :o
Have been playing the Hurum SQ - very lovely. In fact the Hurum CD (above) is one of the few I play right through as I enjoy all three works very much. One of the great things about this forum is discovering works like this (thanks Greg :)) - works that I would probably never come across otherwise - of course I now have no money, my wife and daughter are destitute and the house will be re-possessed by the bank and we shall all be thrown on the street and can't afford food, so will be reliant on soup-kitchens - but it is great to discover all these CDs ;D ;D
So many posts and no one has mentioned Elfrida Andrée, a Swedish composer taught by Ludvig Norman. Her second symphony is available on disc but has anyone heard it?
These days, I usually only "discover" more work to do or more little kids too feed. :) Cannot find much time to listen to music, but I did enjoy the Irgens-Jensen Symphony a lot, played Rued Langgaard again and also some Englund and Tubin - to remain with the topic of this thread - and I keep returning to William Wordsworth's Second and Third, courtesy Dundonnell.Now it's on offer at europadisc.
I hope to smuggle a copy of the Rudolph Simonsen symphonies into my house as soon as CPO decides to put it on offer. 0:)
The latest edition-on Scandinavian symphonies- of Michael Herman's quite superb series of discographies is now available on Musicweb:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/Scandinavian_symphonies/index.htm
Thanks, I agree with this assessment on first hearing. Quite an interesting character though.
It's a bit anachronistic for its 1879 composition date, but quite pretty. EA's motto was apparently "Mendelssohn lives on!", and it shows in the work -- although it'd be just as apt to describe it as "Gade lives on".
-J
Colin, Nielsen's 'Helios' comparison with slow movement of Simonsen's 'Zion' Symphony - absolutely spot on - can't think why I didn't notice this before. Bloch/Respighi - yes, but what a great composer.
Great cover art too.
I'm doing my first listen to Simonsen now - this is very fine music indeed. I will never again read David Hurwitz who totally compromised himsef with his review on this.
I'm doing my first listen to Simonsen now - this is very fine music indeed. I will never again read David Hurwitz who totally compromised himsef with his review on this.
"Swiss Romantics". Huh... wrong country? In any case, is it good stuff?How could I miss that? ???
Thanks to this thread, I have just ordered 2 symphony CDs, one Louis Glass, another Koppel. Can't wait to hear them!
Have been greatly enjoying the wartime Symphony by Ludvig Irgens Jensen, it has the most wonderful inspiriting opening.Jensen is a superb and serious Norwegian composer, to be sure. I've listened to several of his works on the old Mercury (?) labels. I don't recall, and I no longer have access to them. but, my question is: who is this Hurman? I'll do some digging in his life and work; I would like to hear samples before committing myself to any purchase agreements. He's been mentioned on this thread. If his music has any Sibelian, Madetojan, Klamiesque, Rautavaarian influences, fine and well. If he tends to be "overly" dissonant, or avant-garde, I'll pass. I was once quite interested in the most "advanced," experimental, nouveau, polytonal, aesthetics. No longer I sense. I've "curled" back into listening and appreciating those composers who share certain musical tendencies to 20th century necromantic and/or impressionistic styles. Always interesting in discovering new works within certain guidelines or aesthetics.
Ludvig Irgens Jensen (1894-1969); norwegian composer. Tema con Variazioni (1925, 20:32), Oslo PO, Odd Gruner-Hegge ; Passacaglia (1927, 21:07) and Partita sinfonica (1938, 18:31), both with Oslo PO, Ole Kristian RuudI believe Jensen (commonly regarded as the strongest Norwegian composer in the period between the wars) is currently being recoed by the Trondeim symphony for Naxos.
All of the above works are of surprising stature. The composer may be practically unknown, but he is definitely of the front rank among the huge second tier. I enjoyed all the many hearings I gave these works.
Conrad Baden (1908-1989). Sinfonia espressiva (Symphony no. 6, from 1980, 16:35). Also quite good, but it doesn't grab the attention and stick to the memory as the Jensen works do. I gave it as many hearings as the others.
Jensen is highly recommended.
I believe Jensen (commonly regarded as the strongest Norwegian composer in the period between the wars) is currently being recoed by the Trondeim symphony for Naxos.
Hurum. Regarded as the Norwegian impressionist (and a painter as well, surely no coincidence) before emigrating to Hawaii.
I believe Jensen (commonly regarded as the strongest Norwegian composer in the period between the wars) is currently being recoed by the Trondeim symphony for Naxos.
Hurum. Regarded as the Norwegian impressionist (and a painter as well, surely no coincidence) before emigrating to Hawaii.
Gade's Symphonies w/ Christopher Hogwood & the Danish National Radio SO - picked up 3 volumes, and listening to Vol. 1 (Symphonies Nos. 2 & 8*); also purchased Vols. 2 & 4 - will need to reserve comments until later, although the reviews read seemed to be excellent - although a little surprising for me to see 'Hog' in this repertoire? ::) If interested, a short bio below the pics from the Naxos web site - enjoy - :)
Hurum. Regarded as the Norwegian impressionist (and a painter as well, surely no coincidence) before emigrating to Hawaii.Thanks to this forum I ordered a Hurum CD. Haven't listened to it yet but am looking forward to my becoming engaged in works by a 20th century Norwegian composer unfamiliar to me.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4185TF5N2AL._SL500_AA240_.jpg)
MY FIRST BIG DISCOVERY OF 2010! 13 Minutes of joy.
It's track one on Vol. 3 here:
Niels Gade - Echoes of Ossian, Op. 1 - Concert Overture
This one is of exceptional beauty, melancholy and heroism. Catches you from the beginning because of a beautiful melody. If someone is interested, it's on YT, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TInni-4oCe0
Any more Gade to recommend after Op. 1? I had some loose listenings, Gade seemed to be a bit pre-Beethoven and old fashioned to me, but maybe I was wrong...
Thanks for your input, kentel, order the orchestral works CD (https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Niels-W-Gade-Orchesterwerke/hnum/7540118) at cpo.
You're welcome; actually, if you want to dig in on the Danish romantic symphonists, I would recommand JPE Hartmann's symphonies. He wrote only 2, but in a style rather close to Gade in more weberian colors. I especially love the first. The overtures are fine pieces too.I know Hartmann's Haakon Jarl Overture very well, courtesy of a Danish friend I once corresponded with - it struck me as very Beethovenian.
Henning Mankel.
Not the Wallander author but his grandfather (1868-1930) who wrote very pleasant piano music of a romantic, albeit unthreatening nature tinged with whole-tone chords and occasional strange harmonic progressions.
Here's one of the 24 Intermezzi op 10 (1910)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/5u0rp1 (http://www.sendspace.com/file/5u0rp1)
In which case, see how you get on with the Sonatfantasi op 69 no 1 (1926)
http://www.sendspace.com/file/mvs1o0 (http://www.sendspace.com/file/mvs1o0)
actually, Leevi Madetoja has only three symphonies (he DID compose a fourth one, but it was lost when the suitcase inholding the only manuscript of the symphony was stolen while he was staying in Paris).
Madetoja: all four symphonies
actually, Leevi Madetoja has only three symphonies (he DID compose a fourth one, but it was lost when the suitcase inholding the only manuscript of the symphony was stolen while he was staying in Paris).
Shocking! :-\ Never heard the story before. Are you sure it wasn´t burnt in Ainola's green-tiled stove? 8)
Shocking! :-\ Never heard the story before. Are you sure it wasn´t burnt in Ainola's green-tiled stove? 8)
Shocking indeed! Almost as bad as Sibelius' not publishing his 8th. Alas!according to a recent documentary on Sibelius it showed the manuscript for the 8th symphony being thrown into the fire -if true its shocking as well as tragic :o
according to a recent documentary on Sibelius it showed the manuscript for the 8th symphony being thrown into the fire -if true its shocking as well as tragic :oExactly as I read. Why? Did the critics get to him?
Shocking! :-\ Never heard the story before. Are you sure it wasn´t burnt in Ainola's green-tiled stove? 8)Haha, the stove of Ainola, the greedy, ever burning green tiled black hole of the universe :P; the legacy of Darth Sibbe.
Exactly as I read. Why? Did the critics get to him?I think it was more a question of his own mindset at the time - he felt that the 8th did not have the quality of his previous work - maybe his isolation from the real world finally got to him :(
I think it was more a question of his own mindset at the time - he felt that the 8th did not have the quality of his previous work - maybe his isolation from the real world finally got to him :(This is probably what had happened. Question: what was Ainola like? I had read that Sibelius' wife had to put up with his earlier drink iing phases.
Magnus Lindberg's Concerto for Clarinet.
I must say, this piece is a kick up the bum to anyone who has convinced themselves that music written in a contemporary language cannot be at all beautiful. Here we have a work full of modern sonorities and extended techniques, pushing the boundaries of every player and instrument. Of course, such writing can lead to some very intellectual, even interesting music but Lindberg, clearly a master of orchestration, has created something far more engaging: a work of astonishingly sensuous and lyrical beauty, which, to me at least, has been most affecting. I find there is more than a touch of the oriental in this work; often it occurred to me that in Lindberg we perhaps have a Finnish equivalent of Takemitsu, and it certainly seems to me that Lindberg has an ear for impressionist harmonies/sonorities. That said, in this piece at least, Lindberg doesn't have the restraint of a Takemitsu and, indeed, we are treated (and it really is a treat) to a climax at the end of near-romantic proportions.
I can't praise this concerto highly enough: it really is a 21st Century classic and deserves to be peformed and live on forever.
(http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/41JS215P6WL._AA240_.jpg)
Some highlights:
[0:00] A gripping start: emerging from the silence a series of clarinet figures, which strung together make up something of an indistinct melody, fragments of which will reappear throughout the work.
[1:00] Listen for the woodwind/string interjection which is surely a nod and a wink to Charles Ives!
[3:40] Fragments of the theme, this time on strings and percussion
[5:20] Jittering clarinet, reminiscent of Rautavaara in the bird song mode. Did we forget Lindberg is a Fin?!
[7:30+] By now, the piece has descended into a more predominantly minor mode (the slow movement), but there is no let up for the soloist, with what sounds to be highly demanding passages.
[9:30] Fragments of the theme return fleetingly on the clarinet
[11:30] Strings dominate as the clarinet figures at last finds its theme from the fragments we have heard before, together at last in a flowing melody, before ending on a high sustained, eardrum-piercing high note from our soloist. From here, the music descends into a period of wildness. At this point we have some really guttural sonorities coming from the clarinet, which I can only describe as being similar in sound to a didjeridu.
[19:10] Wow, listen to this high note from the soloist, for a moment it could be mistaken for violin harmonics! Now into a virtuosic cadenza, which really must be pushing the instrument to its limits.
[21:00] Return of the orchestra, with string-led passages, clarinet in gasping, almost John Adams-esque repetitions of fragments, building to a glorious and spine-tingling final climax with the clarinet singing the theme in its full guise.
In conclusion, a completely satisfying lyrical and dynamic new clarinet concerto for the 21st Century, written in very contemporary musical language but challenging any notion that classical music in the new century cannot be approachable, even lovable (i'm on my 6th hearing in 2 days now!)
Great review Ben! :) Boy some of those ear-rupturing high notes the clarinet does sounds like a child screaming in terror. It is psychotic, but selectively, I like the trot out the freaky moments sometimes for effect over wonky honky 24-7 style. :)
Rautavaara's Piano Concerto No. 3: The only issue for this concert I can find is the Ondine with Ashkenazy conducting and as soloist. Know any better ones?
Some favorite Scandinavian composers of mine: Pettersson, Sibelius, Nielsen, Lindberg, Salonen, Grieg, Langgaard, Norgard, Saariaho, Alfven, and Rautavaara. There's so many more I want to explore of course. I've become increasingly interested in Modern Finnish music lately, so this is an area I hope to explore more of soon.Try Usko Meriläinen, he is a very fine composer. In a sense continuation of Väinö Raitio!
Some favorite Scandinavian composers of mine: Pettersson, Sibelius, Nielsen, Lindberg, Salonen, Grieg, Langgaard, Norgard, Saariaho, Alfven, and Rautavaara. There's so many more I want to explore of course. I've become increasingly interested in Modern Finnish music lately, so this is an area I hope to explore more of soon.
How about Rosenberg, Hurum and Tubin (is Estonia part of Scandinavia?)
How about Rosenberg, Hurum and Tubin (is Estonia part of Scandinavia?)Yes, how come that M I hasn't latched on to Rosenberg?
Yes, how come that M I hasn't latched on to Rosenberg?
That's a good question. I have not explored Rosenberg's music yet. There looks like there's an attractive release from BIS, but honestly there just isn't that much of his music available.
Try this - am sure you'll enjoy it. The ending of No 3 is one of the great moments in music.
Any opinions on Bo Nilsson? I don't want to start a thread on him with just that single sentence.Garish, I'd say.
From a Wikipedia entry, it sounds as though he went into a populist phase during the 60s and later, but is it good, or is it garish?
There's a 3CD set out there that covers most of the major serialist work and a good cross-section of his populist stuff:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/A-Spirits-Whisper-1965-1997/dp/B005X95XKK
(That's the MP3 version; there should be a CD one on Amazon too.)
Interestingly enough, he was born in Skellefteå, a small town in Northern Sweden that punches way above its weight culturally; for example the writers Stieg Larsson and Per Olov Enquist.
Have got most of Nystroem´s other orchestral works, but need to dig more into it. Moreover, there must be quite a lot of unrecorded chamber music of his. The "Viola Concerto" is a catchy, lively piece entitled "Hommage a la France", far from austere or "Nordic". The symphonic poem "The Arctic Ocean" is one of the greater, spectacular orchestral pieces from Scandinavia, like similar ones by Sibelius, Nielsen and Jon Leifs.
Thanks ! What is perhaps less known is that C.D. Friedrich was quite historically-conscious and that his pictures, in spite of their revelation of the past, also questions the past and underlines the dimension of the contemporary and that of historical development, as a contrast to the more sentimental members of the German Romantic school. Likewise he was a pioneer in developing and promoting Romantic landscape painting, rather than looking backwards to established genres.
But to return to Nystroem: the unsung composers website has some rare music by him also. Your post has made me want to listen to some of his works now ...
Nystroem's Ishavet (Arctic Ocean) is one of this composer's best works. It resembles for all the world a mix of Rite of Spring and Sibelius 7. Don't expect a masterwork of the same magnitude, but it bears its influences well, not sounding derivative. Nystroem is a strong composer. You're right Jeffrey, Sinfonia del Mare is a very fine work. But do give Ishavet a listen. I'd like to her you on this one!
Any fans of Otto Olsson, Erland von Koch Or Karin Rehnqvist ?
Hi Jeffrey ! For some reason the work has always been 'Ishavet' in my mind. But it's definitely a work that bears dupliaction. I also have the Bis version you're referring to - Paavo järvi, right?. It's more expansive: 3 minutes more than Peter Erös on Caprice, almost 15 % slower. I find Järvi's view of the Arctic somewhat more romantic - global warming after some 15 years maybe? :o . In any case, both present a compelling view of a very fine 1925 work.
I'll give the 'del Mare' a spin this week. It's been a while now. Time for third or fourth impressions ! My version is by Svetlanov.
I thought Alfvén had his own thread. Anyway, this is a too underrated and neglected composer. For people who like late romantic style impregnated with a lot of lushness, this is a true pleasure!! You should try these 5 mesmerizing and tuneful symphonies, full of charm, power and tremendous orchestration. Järvi conducting the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra: a gorgeous combination.
I have to say that Alfven doesn’t really strike me as too interesting of a composer. His Symphony No. 4, “From the Outermost Skerries” may be the finest thing I’ve heard from him.
I have to say that Alfven doesn’t really strike me as too interesting of a composer. His Symphony No. 4, “From the Outermost Skerries” may be the finest thing I’ve heard from him.
Exactly my conclusion (ten years ago, when I played them all). 8)+1
I never warmed to Madetoja’s music. I don’t really hear much of an individual voice in the music to be even more honest.
I am really enjoying this CD of Madetoja:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61iJhgj2OSL._SS500.jpg)
https://www.amazon.com/Madetoja-Symphony-No-Kullervo-Elegy/dp/B00CVO19N0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1489280420&sr=8-2&keywords=madetoja+symphony+2
Somewhere between Sibelius and Wagner in a very fine recording. This Kullervo is nothing like Sibelius's take on the myth. Much more like how Richard Strauss or Wagner might have imagined it as an epic hero rather than a flawed demigod.
Did you hear the recording I mentioned? A Germanic version of Finnish music is an individual voice. Who else had the sound? The last movement of the second symphony has elements of Bruckner by way of Sibelius and reached a tremendous flat 6 climax...something that could have come out of modern sci-fi scores. The melodies might not be as personalized as Sibelius but it's not at all worthy of disregard. Give it another chance and stop being so quick to accept your first impression.
I am really enjoying this CD of Madetoja:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61iJhgj2OSL._SS500.jpg)
https://www.amazon.com/Madetoja-Symphony-No-Kullervo-Elegy/dp/B00CVO19N0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1489280420&sr=8-2&keywords=madetoja+symphony+2
Somewhere between Sibelius and Wagner in a very fine recording. This Kullervo is nothing like Sibelius's take on the myth. Much more like how Richard Strauss or Wagner might have imagined it as an epic hero rather than a flawed demigod.
The 2nd symphony is just amazing. I listened to it a few days ago and was mesmerizing. Too much beauty I found thereI'm enjoying the artwork! I've never heard a note of his music;but that's the sort of jewel case that tempts me. Got to resist,though. Perhaps the Beeb will broadcast one?!!
I'm enjoying the artwork! I've never heard a note of his music;but that's the sort of jewel case that tempts me. Got to resist,though. Perhaps the Beeb will broadcast one?!!
I'm enjoying the artwork! I've never heard a note of his music;but that's the sort of jewel case that tempts me. Got to resist,though. Perhaps the Beeb will broadcast one?!!
Yesterday I came across a composer whose music I had never heard. Selim Palmgren (born 1878 Pori, Finland, died Helsinki 1951). He also taught at the famous Eastman School in the USA in the 1920s. I sampled the opening of hisJust bumping up my last 'zero response' thread ( :blank:)
Piano Concerto No.2 'The River' and thought it was excellent - haunting and beautiful. Any other views on Palmgren?
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Selim-Palmgren
Here's the opening of PC No.2 'The River':
https://youtu.be/oOq6vTWYbDU
Just bumping up my last 'zero response' thread ( :blank:)
This is because I have also been enjoying Palmgren's Piano Concerto No.1 (1905). Like Piano Concerto No.2 it has a most beautiful nostalgic, dreamy and lyrical opening. It is very approachable and I think would appeal to admirers of Rachmaninov.
The 2nd symphony is just amazing. I listened to it a few days ago and was mesmerizing. Too much beauty I found thereSeconded. Plus: it has a wonderful 'pastoral' quiet movement that is really pastoral: reminiscences from a solitary boyhood spent in the countryside. :)
Seconded. Plus: it has a wonderful 'pastoral' quiet movement that is really pastoral: reminiscences from a solitary boyhood spent in the countryside. :)
Yesterday I came across a composer whose music I had never heard. Selim Palmgren (born 1878 Pori, Finland, died Helsinki 1951). He also taught at the famous Eastman School in the USA in the 1920s. I sampled the opening of his
Piano Concerto No.2 'The River' and thought it was excellent - haunting and beautiful. Any other views on Palmgren?
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Selim-Palmgren
Here's the opening of PC No.2 'The River':
https://youtu.be/oOq6vTWYbDU
What is Palmgren’s style like?
Tveitt and Langgaard are favourites of mine. Langgaard has had a few mentions already but I scecond the recommendations of his Music of the Spheres and would like to add his string quartets - they have all been recorded by the Nightingale Quartet and well worth exploring.
Tveiit (1908 - 1981) has only had a passing mention but is well worth exploring. Sadly, a large number of his works were destroyed in a fire though some have been reconstructed from orchestral parts and the charred remains. Tveitt spent some time in Paris and this shows in his Piano Concertos though No 4 'Aurora Borealis' - my favourite was written after his return to Norway. His large scale ballet 'Baldur's Dreams' is also interesting though some may prefer the 'Sun God Symphony extracted from it.
After returning to Norway Tveitt adopted a more national, Norwegian style. A Hundred Hardanger Tunes has already been mentioned; it is divided into suites and they range from wedding tunes to 'Domedag', a depiction of Judgement Day.
Tveitt (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,20746.0.html) and Langgaard (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,575.0.html) have their own threads if you want to have a look. 8)
Yesterday I came across a composer whose music I had never heard. Selim Palmgren (born 1878 Pori, Finland, died Helsinki 1951). He also taught at the famous Eastman School in the USA in the 1920s. I sampled the opening of his
Piano Concerto No.2 'The River' and thought it was excellent - haunting and beautiful. Any other views on Palmgren?
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Selim-Palmgren
Here's the opening of PC No.2 'The River':
https://youtu.be/oOq6vTWYbDU
Just listened to this - a wonderfully atmospheric and inspiriting score. The spirit of Rachmaninoff hovers over some passages, which appeals to me greatly. I especially love the opening with its mysterious drum rolls. Thanks for the recommendation, Jeffrey! :)Am delighted that you discovered it too Kyle :).
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/517Vx%2BTiQNL._SY355_.jpg)I love that disc Cesar, especially the beautiful and moving central movement of 'Hellas' Symphony.
Earlier I gave to these symphonies a revisit. My last memories told me that these works weren't appealing enough, and how wrong I was! I'm so glad to having changed my mind. The 1st Symphony is majestic and with certain struggle, mostly in the 1st movement. The 2nd movement is so inspired, it has an ethereal appeal to it. The 3rd movement is the culmination of greatness, a blaze of intense light. The ending is mightily uplifting and glorious.
The 2nd Symphony is a bit less good, but even so it doesn't disappoint at all. Inspired by the Greek mythology, it's much more succesful than other works with similar inspiration. And those ancient evocations are fairly felt. All in all, two of those fruitful rediscoveries.
There are two additional symphonies that haven't seen the light of day. Hopefully cpo or another advocate recording label will bring them to us in the near future.
I love that disc Cesar, especially the beautiful and moving central movement of 'Hellas' Symphony.
(https://img.discogs.com/PIUO9mgDIiMTr57afVoK_U-NKVo=/fit-in/600x596/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-1562863-1228654209.jpeg.jpg)
Hakon Borresen's Symphony No. 1 in C minor, whilst not a masterpiece, possesses substance enough to rate it very high. A work of evident profoundity whose themes and development satisfy with no problem, at least for me. The last movement Adagio lamentabile is magnificent. A very welcome rediscovery.
Interesting, thanks, Cesar. :)
I have 2 Dacapo discs of his music, including symphonies 2 and 3. Very interesting, esp. his Sea Symphony. I’ll keep an eye on this CPO release.
(https://img.discogs.com/PIUO9mgDIiMTr57afVoK_U-NKVo=/fit-in/600x596/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-1562863-1228654209.jpeg.jpg)
Hakon Borresen's Symphony No. 1 in C minor, whilst not a masterpiece, possesses substance enough to rate it very high. A work of evident profoundity whose themes and development satisfy with no problem, at least for me. The last movement Adagio lamentabile is magnificent. A very welcome rediscovery.
Interesting, thanks, Cesar. :)
I have 2 Dacapo discs of his music, including symphonies 2 and 3. Very interesting, esp. his Sea Symphony. I’ll keep an eye on this CPO release.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/517Vx%2BTiQNL._SY355_.jpg)
Earlier I gave to these symphonies a revisit. My last memories told me that these works weren't appealing enough, and how wrong I was! I'm so glad to having changed my mind. The 1st Symphony is majestic and with certain struggle, mostly in the 1st movement. The 2nd movement is so inspired, it has an ethereal appeal to it. The 3rd movement is the culmination of greatness, a blaze of intense light. The ending is mightily uplifting and glorious.
The 2nd Symphony is a bit less good, but even so it doesn't disappoint at all. Inspired by the Greek mythology, it's much more succesful than other works with similar inspiration. And those ancient evocations are fairly felt. All in all, two of those fruitful rediscoveries.
There are two additional symphonies that haven't seen the light of day. Hopefully cpo or another advocate recording label will bring them to us in the near future.
Sometimes, indeed oftentimes, posts like these make me walk to my cd wall and put one on top of my pile. This one is right up there now, will duly oblige. :D
+ one more. 8)
That looks like an interesting release. Thanks for posting it.+1 I have a CD of his music somewhere.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81%2BqrleZhcL._SL1500_.jpg)
(https://i.ndcd.net/2/Item/500/535306.jpg)
Own both symphonies in their former BIS and Simax releases, love them verily, will certainly buy this new release ASAP. :)+1
A photo of the composer:Indeed Cesar!
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/e4Af5R1pnYs/hqdefault.jpg)
Zero resemblance with the most famous Nielsen. :D
Own both symphonies in their former BIS and Simax releases, love them verily, will certainly buy this new release ASAP. :)
Very fine and characteristic works - unmistakeably Norwegian, nice to see Naxos venturing into this territory.Good to know - the Naxos CD is now absurdly priced. For now I've ordered the CPO release of Symphony No.2 which was only £4.00 second hand.
Lately I have turned my attention more to Finnish and Swedish composers. For long my attitude was:I wonder if you'd like the music of Madetoja? His Second Symphony is a favourite of mine. Just a thought.
- If I am not much into Sibelius, what are the chances I'd be into "lesser" Finnish composers?
- Almost all post WW2 classical music is atonal noise
- Sweden is so weak in classical music why even bother?
The last decade or so has changed my attitude. I have realized not being a big fan of Sibelius doesn't mean I can't enjoy other Finnish composers. Years ago I purchased a 3CD set of Rautavaara on Naxos. It was very cheap. Getting into his music didn't happen in 17 seconds, but I have noticed I like something about it. I have had the Naxos Englund dics for 20 years, and I have to say it's the bass-shy recorded sound rather than the music itself that keeps me getting blown away. So, I am in the prosess of exploring Englund further trying to buy those expensive ONDINE discs as cheap and humanly possible. Great composer. I also seem to be into the music of Uuno Klami, but I haven't heard many works yet. Of Swedish composers I am getting into Pettersson and also it seem some works of Atterberg can be my thing (Cello Concerto!)
It helps I "discovered" contemporary classical music maybe 5 years ago and realized I actually like it quite a lot. At some point I try to explore living Finnish composers such as Kalevi Aho. I have heard Magnus Lindberg's works and they are pretty crazy, intense and difficult! ;D
Exploring all these composers seem a huge work*, but I can dictate the speed myself...
* If music was the only thing in the World it would not be huge, but music competes with many many other things in life... ...and classical music is only a part of all music. :P
I wonder if you'd like the music of Madetoja? His Second Symphony is a favourite of mine. Just a thought.
Thanks for the suggestion! I'll try to keep that in my mind. I have to be careful not to exhaust myself with exploring... ;DI like the music of Englund, especially Symphony No.2 'Blackbird' and No.1 'War'. As for Nystroem, his 'Sinfonia del Mare' is the stand-out work for me.
50 % of the time people here talk about composers I don't really know so that's why I feel like a newbie despite of having listened to classical music for almost quarter of a century and having hundreds and hundreds of CDs. It's just that when others where exploring Kabalevsky and Myaskovsky I was exploring Johann Adolf Hasse and Louis-Nicolas Clérambault. 0:)
I try to explore Kurt Atterberg a little bit more and then move on. I'm also exploring Einar Englund. I tried Gösta Nystroem, but I wasn't into his "semi-modernism." Then there is of course Allan Pettersson. ;)
I have spend more money on classical music recently and when the JPC order arrives I will try to buy less again.
I like the music of Englund, especially Symphony No.2 'Blackbird' and No.1 'War'. As for Nystroem, his 'Sinfonia del Mare' is the stand-out work for me.
I must have heard Englund on radio some 20 years ago and I bought the one Naxos disc*. Only lately have I been more interested of contemporary and Nordic stuff so continuing the exploration of Englund is logical to me. As for Nystroem I tried the 2nd or 3rd Symphony because I read those are considered the best. Nystroem's style just doesn't seem to be for me right now so I "move on." There are plenty of composers to explore and if I run out before I die I can always come back to Nystroem.
* I don't know if it was sold outside Finland because it was a "Finnish" Naxos release with texts in English, Finnish and Swedish and an "F" in the cataloque number: 8.553758 F. Naxos seems to have "local" releases and I have seen "German" Naxos releases used on Amazon for example.
This is the fine Englund CD that I have on Naxos:
(http://)
An irony as Carl Nielsen's SQ's aren't very good at all (strange that he never discovered how to write a SQ as a polyphonic dialogue/trialogue/quadrilogue when all the Symphonies and orchestral pieces, and the Wind Quintet, are full of this type of texture).
Okay, that's the international version. The music content is identical, I checked. The Finnish "F" version looks like this:Interesting! Didn't know there was a special Finnish version.
Interesting! Didn't know there was a special Finnish version.
Carl Nielsen's SQ's aren't very good at all
(https://media2.giphy.com/media/21S35iv1C67ns2g458/giphy.gif?cid=6c09b952af07b2a147c9f3ef936d2f8483394300648dd82f&rid=giphy.gif)
Especially I like how his music is totally free of national romanticism, but still sounds very "Finnish."
Einar Englund disc of his Cello Concerto and the 6th Symphony on Ondine arrived today. Just listened to it the first time. The Cello Concerto is very nice, especially the Adagio is "DEEP." 0:) The 6th Symphony isn't my (or anyone else's) favorite Englund Symphony, but it's okay. I am not a fan of this kind of works for orchestra and chorus.
I really like Englund's "no nonsense" approach. The music is rich, but contains nothing unnecessory. Especially I like how his music is totally free of national romanticism, but still sounds very "Finnish."
The Englund Cello Concerto is excellent - I could describe it as "Moeran meets Shostakovich", in a way! Other favorite Englund works of mine include the Symphony no. 2 The Blackbird and the Piano Concerto no. 2.
(...)
Give me a break. We have been discussing Einar Englund, a FINNISH composer! What next? Threads with a list of 100 allowed words? I am really feeling like leaving this forum. First I was banned from political threads and now when I try to contribute music threads moderators keep whining.
I try so hard to make this place less toxic, but look at how other people (Mirror Image, Karl Hanning) react. I don't attack other here, but I am constantly attacked.
I think the mod's note is referring to some very recent posts that were now deleted because of personal quarelling and attacks. It's got nothing to do with Shostakovich being mentioned, for example; Englund's relations to Shostakovich's music are an often-occurring subject elsewhere too, also scholarly in record liner notes etc.
Listened to Englunds Cello Concerto and Symphony 6 again and liked the Symphony even more (the first listen was so so)
Give me a break. We have been discussing Einar Englund, a FINNISH composer! What next? Threads with a list of 100 allowed words? I am really feeling like leaving this forum. First I was banned from political threads and now when I try to contribute music threads moderators keep whining.
I try so hard to make this place less toxic, but look at how other people (Mirror Image, Karl Hanning) react. I don't attack other here, but I am constantly attacked.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/617ZZPWwy2L._AC_SL425_.jpg)
2 works for cello and piano, one for solo cello by Herman Koppel (1908-1998). From his grandson Benjamin we get Professor Herman’s Cellistic Imaginarium, an homage to the disc’s solo cello work by his grand-dad. Both solo cello works use tone rows and are quite modern in idiom, whereas those where the cello is paired with the piano are more conservatively phrased. The piano writing reminds me of the mix of plangency and acerbity found in Shostakovich’s chamber works with piano. A great program, displaying much variety of tone.
I think the mod's note is referring to some very recent posts that were now deleted because of personal quarelling and attacks. It's got nothing to do with Shostakovich being mentioned, for example; Englund's relations to Shostakovich's music are an often-occurring subject elsewhere too, also scholarly in record liner notes etc.
They were not only contemporaries, but friends; at least that's what Holmboe told me in 1995. One of the composers he admired was 'his old friend' Herman Koppel, in those words.
Herman Koppel is one of my favourite composers from northern Europe. An exact contemporary of Vagn Holmboe
They were not only contemporaries, but friends; at least that's what Holmboe told me in 1995. One of the composers he admired was 'his old friend' Herman Koppel, in those words.
Interesting. I don't know if you've mentioned it before, but: how did you meet & what else did he say?
My reaction exactly! ::) I love (Carl) Nielsen’s SQs.
Concerning a perhaps more informal side of Holmboe, I looked a bit for sources. There wasn't any informal content in this interview with Bo Holten from 1976, but I found it interesting enough to link to it. It's in Danish, so maybe use google translate, but:
he says he likes Martinu (which is interesting,since Martinu was rather overlooked here then) besides Britten and Lutoslawski, admiring both a lot; he also likes the symphonies of Roussel, Honegger and V-Williams, for example, and sees Nielsen as a barrier in Denmark against an - alleged - decadence found in later German music, for example; he sees nothing of value in the Darmstadt School. Bartok, Nielsen, Sibelius and Stravinsky influenced him the most, and Haydn as regards the quartets. He also likes late-medieval music, such as the linear features of Estampie and the Conductus, and says that a preference for a linear style comes very natural to him, etc.
https://seismograf.org/dmt/51/04/vagn-holmboe-i-dag
In another interview from 1983 he tells a lot more about his background and private life, including an early interest in yoga (!) and that originally he wanted to be a painter. He also details his un-sentimental interest in nature, shuns the city, and mentions Schubert and Mozart as other major figures for him. He also tells a good deal about music in the 1930s. H.D. Koppel, Franz Syberg, Svend S.Schultz and Svend Erik Tarp were his close friends among composers.
https://seismograf.org/dmt/51/04/vagn-holmboe-i-dag
There is another clue in the photograph as to why his music was likely to appeal to me. :)
I suppose it's not the Marlboro box on the table so must be the cat (kissa)! $:)Correct! :) :)
Correct! :) :)
It was a relatively easy guess. Nothing else in the photo makes sense in this context. Everything except the cat in the photo looks "melancholic."Yes, indeed. I can't stress how much I have enjoyed the 4th Symphony, which I must have played about four times yesterday. I haven't even listened to earlier symphonies yet.
The composer seems to look at it and think ‘why did I get a cat?’ >:D
I think that the cat is his 'kindred spirit' André!
:)
PS I'm sure that you and many others here would like Symphony No.4. I hope to listen to the more 'modernist' symphonies 2 and 3 today.
Were you aware of him 71 dB?
Salmenhaara and Hans Eklund are on my watch list ! Might take a while before I hit the ‘buy’ button though. They are rather expensive and I just busted 3 months worth of cd budget at Chandos.net ???.
Concerning a perhaps more informal side of Holmboe, I looked a bit for sources. There wasn't any informal content in this interview with Bo Holten from 1976, but I found it interesting enough to link to it. It's in Danish, so maybe use google translate, but:Thank you so much MT for taking the time to sum up the contents for us. Quite interesting! :)
he says he likes Martinu (which is interesting,since Martinu was rather overlooked here then) besides Britten and Lutoslawski, admiring both a lot; he also likes the symphonies of Roussel, Honegger and V-Williams, for example, and sees Nielsen as a barrier in Denmark against an - alleged - decadence found in later German music, for example; he sees nothing of value in the Darmstadt School. Bartok, Nielsen, Sibelius and Stravinsky influenced him the most, and Haydn as regards the quartets. He also likes late-medieval music, such as the linear features of Estampie and the Conductus, and says that a preference for a linear style comes very natural to him, etc.
https://seismograf.org/dmt/51/04/vagn-holmboe-i-dag
In another interview from 1983 he tells a lot more about his background and private life, including an early interest in yoga (!) and that originally he wanted to be a painter. He also details his un-sentimental interest in nature, shuns the city, and mentions Schubert and Mozart as other major figures for him. He also tells a good deal about music in the 1930s. H.D. Koppel, Franz Syberg, Svend S.Schultz and Svend Erik Tarp were his close friends among composers.
https://seismograf.org/dmt/51/04/vagn-holmboe-i-dag
Copied over from WAYLTN thread:You're a smoker Jeffrey? :-X
Erkki Salmenhaara (1941-2002)
Symphony No.4 (1971-2)
Absolutely briliant!
Powerful, moving, inspiriting, tonal. Interesting booklet notes from Kalevi Aho.
A definite recommendation to 'the usual suspects' (those who, more or less, share my musical tastes here).
This one had to come from Finland:
And, here he is - Erkki Salmenhaara.
There is another clue in the photograph as to why his music was likely to appeal to me. :)
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Thank you so much MT for taking the time to sum up the contents for us. Quite interesting! :)I use to smoke a pipe PD 8)
PDYou're a smoker Jeffrey? :-X
Just kidding! ;)
PD
p.s. A very striking grey tabby too!
I use to smoke a pipe PD 8)
Yes, Salmenhaara's cat is very impressive.
So is Hurwitz's. 8)The great thing is that Pipo only loves fine music. Adorable cat. ;D
So is Hurwitz's. 8)+1. I enjoyed her appearance in the favourite harp concertos video.
The great thing is that Pipo only loves fine music. Adorable cat. ;D
I enjoyed this extract from Salmenhaara's 2nd Piano Sonata (middle movement).Thank you for posting that clip....quite enjoying it! :)
CD continues the cat theme as well 8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUpNWWnIxUw&list=PLNEJV1lNKyyVJ-2K200Pl7xI0nBWXLcV8&index=12
Thank you for posting that clip....quite enjoying it! :)
PD
I do recommend to try Eklund at some point. The CPO disc is impressive, the performances are first-class. By judging those works I can imagine he was a very troubled man. There are no traces of 'happiness' in them.Thanks for posting this. I had the Eklund 6th on an LP with Petersson's 16th many years ago and found it a powerful piece, but wasn't sure how typical it was of his output. Have recently invested in the CPO cd and getting to grips with the symphonies on there. Hopefully the start of a series. Eklund doesn't seem to feature much in the music books or recordings, yet seems a distinctive voice.
I found his 6th Symphony Sinfonia senza Speranza on YouTube in very good sound quality. The title does justice to the work (Symphony without Hope). It's a grim but cogent piece.
https://www.youtube.com/v/KjQqyQt-aoo
I do recommend to try Eklund at some point. The CPO disc is impressive, the performances are first-class. By judging those works I can imagine he was a very troubled man. There are no traces of 'happiness' in them.
https://www.youtube.com/v/KjQqyQt-aoo
I don't know Eklund, but I find the same lack of happiness in Rawsthorne. I can't listen to anything he wrote. Pettersson, oddly enough, I love.
Surely you haven't heard Rawsthorne's piano concerti then! ;) They're delightful works, full of wit. His later works, though (e.g. Symphony no. 3 and Cello Concerto) are indeed devoid of any light or positive emotions.OT
Surely you haven't heard Rawsthorne's piano concerti then! ;) They're delightful works, full of wit. His later works, though (e.g. Symphony no. 3 and Cello Concerto) are indeed devoid of any light or positive emotions.I liked the 3rd Symphony, it sounds like nothing else he wrote and didn't register with me as a particularly dark piece.. Don't know the Cello Concerto. To my mind, many of Rawsthorne's pieces seem to have a very similar sound-world to them, you could identify the composer fairly easily on hearing a few bars
I do recommend to try Eklund at some point. The CPO disc is impressive, the performances are first-class. By judging those works I can imagine he was a very troubled man. There are no traces of 'happiness' in them.
Back OT, finding the Eklund 5th Symphony a tough nut to crack. I can only find a copy of the painting online for Richard Bergh's The Girl and Death which inspired the first movement and that is unsettling with a young woman being followed by the Grim reaper.
Eklund rather reminds me of the Norwegian Halvor Haug. There's the same penchant for creating dark, gloomy, and mostly slow moving atmospherics, without any particular thematic distinction. It's "mood music" more than anything, falling within a pretty narrow range of expression.
I've heard a fair number of Eklund's Symphonies, and (I think) all of Haug's, and in both cases feel they never did better than their very first efforts, - each of their respective Symphony No.1's, - with the successors being mostly less cogent repetitions that don't offer anything new, albeit fine for listening to if you're drawn to the sound world. But for the "essence" of Eklund & Haug acquire their 1st Symphonies, and you can leave the rest.
The Haug cd with the Symphony 1 was one of the first I bought and an impressive piece. the 2nd occupied a different sound-world, so I wouldn't accept the premise J puts forward for him. Eklund does seem to have a distinctive sound world, haven't caught his 1st yet, but both the 3rd and 6th are striking pieces, while I'm still getting to grips with his 5th.
Eklund's 1st Symphony is easily heard on YouTube, and for me holds together better and grips me more decisively than the others I've heard, - perhaps eight of them, all told.
Would like some other commenters here to give it a listen and offer their evaluations.
Has anyone here mentioned this composer? Copied over from current listening thread.
Next up: Väinö Raitio's tone poem Joutsenet (The Swans). New work and new composer to me...quite enjoyed it! The work's motto is a poem by Otto Manninen. The work was first performed by Kajanus in 1921.
Wondering how well he is known in Finland and what works of his might be popular? I'll try posting this also in the Finnish thread.
PD
There's also his symphonic poem 'Moonlight on Jupiter´;)Thanks. I did insert his name into youtube and found some more of his works. According to Wiki, his music was apparently too modern for current tastes and the only work of his that was published during his lifetime was "The Swans".
PD, you'll like tis:
Väinö Raitio loved cats and even dedicated one of his finest orchestral works, Kuutamo Jupiterissa [Moonlight on Jupiter], to his cat: “I dedicate this tone poem to my cat, who came from Korso. I sent him to Jupiter in October 1922.” This dedication has been read as misanthropic disdain towards the people around him or a declaration of eccentric independence. Raitio himself, however, said he simply wished to honour the memory of a beloved family member.
To his wife Hildur, Raitio explained that Kuutamo Jupiterissa was based on a strange dream in which he had travelled in space and seen seven of the moons of Jupiter. Hildur Raitio also recalled that the work was Raitio’s favourite in his output.
Read more at : https://fmq.fi/articles/the-bourgeois-modernist/
Raitio and his cat (possibly the dedicatee of 'Moonlight on Jupiter'):
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(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Harkon_Boerresen.gif)
I've been listening to Borresen for the first time recently. There is something in the style of the more 'Northern' sound that appeals to me very much, and Borresen has it in abundance. If I'm listening to Romantic or Late Romantic by certain composers, I can hear the 'sound of Vienna' in many pieces. As I am a huge fan of Atterberg, Sibelius, Rangstrom, Nielsen, et al, something rests there for me, I can hear a more brassy sound, a more urgent sound, and legions of beautiful melodies and adagio from the North.
Going to read through much of this topic, see what other composers from the North I can discover...