Tag: Symphony

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Eduard Tubin: Symphony No. 1

Fugue for Thought

This article has been marked as in need of a revisit. That’s where I feel like I didn’t do the piece justice or have more to say (usually because I didn’t know it nearly well enough or didn’t have the right perspective). I’ll keep the original article for posterity, but publish a new version that will eventually be linked here for my new take on it. performed by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra under Neeme Järvi I listened to this about five times. I have enjoyed quite a bit of the modern Finnish composers, maybe due to the influence of people … Continue reading Eduard Tubin: Symphony No. 1

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Kalevi Aho: symphony No. 2

Fugue for Thought

This piece has been revisited, and an updated article has been written. Please read it here.  I’ll keep the original article (below) for posterity, but I would suggest reading the new article instead. performed by the Lahti Symphony Orchestra under Osmo Vänskä …and now for something completely different. I’ve been trying to get through all the works from the composers that I currently have, and that means I’ve been making the rounds with more familiar composers. Even though I haven’t posted things from Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Beethoven, or some of the other typical symphonies, it’s only because I’ve already listened to … Continue reading Kalevi Aho: symphony No. 2

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Myaskovsky Symphony No. 3 in Am

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performed by the USSR State Symphony Orchestra under Yevgeny Svetlanov (This piece has been ‘revisited’ since I felt the article below to be inadequate. For the updated article, click here.) Losing a post in progress is like Tumblr stealing a small part of my life. And infuriating. This one is two movements, but that doesn’t mean it lacks length. Each movement is at or over 20 minutes, so it comes in at somewhere shy of 45 minutes. As I’ve said before, I’m not super great at recognizing structure and key changes and all of that business, and it’s certainly harder … Continue reading Myaskovsky Symphony No. 3 in Am

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Mozart Symphony No. 4

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as performed (still) by Academy of St. Martin in the Fields under Sir Neville Marriner Mozart Monday… I also realized last week was almost entirely of first symphonies, aside from Bruckner: Rautavaara Mozart Shostakovich Borodin Barber I apparently didn’t sync Mozart 2 or 3 to my iPod (I suppose I’ll skip the spurious symphonies) so we move to number 4. I found it thoroughly more interesting texturally. Again, it’s really short, so I listened to it a few times. Need I say it is very… Mozart-y? I suppose the boy made some progress in a year. He was nine when … Continue reading Mozart Symphony No. 4

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Alexander Borodin: Symphony No. 1 in Eb

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Performed by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra under Gennady Rozhdestvensky There’s no article for Wikipedia on this, but other sources reveal it was premiered in 1868 by Borodin’s mentor, Mily Balakirev. I had heard somewhere that Balakirev also helped Rimsky-Korsakov with (and conducted the premiere of) his first symphony. Balakirev encouraged RK to continue work on the first movement. He did so, but apparently made a disaster of the orchestration. Balakirev came to the rescue again, getting RK started by helping him orchestrate the first page. He did well after that. But later, RK said of Balakirev: “[I] was convinced … Continue reading Alexander Borodin: Symphony No. 1 in Eb

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Einojuhani Rautavaara: Symphony No. 1 (2003 edition)

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(I have written an updated article on this symphony in the few years since this original article. It can be found here, and I’d suggest reading it at least in addition to if not in place of what is below. For posterity, I’ve kept the original article as is.) Performed by the National Orchestra of Belgium under Mikko Franck (2006) This is far more modern than most other music I own or have listened to. It is Mr. Rautavaara’s first symphony, and according to the page about this album (Book of Visions) (there isn’t even a Wikipedia article about this … Continue reading Einojuhani Rautavaara: Symphony No. 1 (2003 edition)

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Robert Schumann: Symphony no. 3 in Ebm, op. 97

Fugue for Thought

This article has been marked as in need of a revisit. That’s where I feel like I didn’t do the piece justice or have more to say (usually because I didn’t know it nearly well enough or didn’t have the right perspective). I’ll keep the original article for posterity, but publish a new version that will eventually be linked here for my new take on it. Performed by the Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell I kinda loved this. I generally try to read up on the history of the piece before or as I am listening, but leave any artistic … Continue reading Robert Schumann: Symphony no. 3 in Ebm, op. 97

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Sergei Rachmaninoff: Symphony no. 3 in Am, op. 44

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This piece has been revisited, and an updated article has been written. Please read it here.  I’ll keep the original article (below) for posterity, but I would suggest reading the new article instead. USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra under Gennady Rozhdestvensky (from a live performance) I love Rachmaninoff, or what I have heard of his. His two piano sonatas and the four concertos (far more familiar with 2 and 3), Paganini variations, and his second symphony. I’m not hugely familiar with a lot of his other works, but all of what I’ve heard sounds nice. I think even if … Continue reading Sergei Rachmaninoff: Symphony no. 3 in Am, op. 44

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Carl Nielsen: Symphony No. 5

Fugue for Thought

This article has been marked as in need of a revisit. That’s where I feel like I didn’t do the piece justice or have more to say (usually because I didn’t know it nearly well enough or didn’t have the right perspective). I’ll keep the original article for posterity, but publish a new version that will eventually be linked here for my new take on it. performed by Gothenburg symphony orchestra under Neeme Järvi I like this from the beginning. The beginning of the first movement is very pleasant. I am a sucker for bassoons, and I love how the … Continue reading Carl Nielsen: Symphony No. 5