...in response to some Listening Thread comments....
Aulis Sallinen: Cello Concerto OP.44 (1976). Jan-erik Gustaffson/Norrkoping SO/Rasilainen. CPO CD, Sallinen Edition 2011.
A superbly imaginative 20-minute adagio/moderato is followed by a light and brilliant presto-prestissimo. A stunning piece, c/w...
Symphony No.6. OP.65 (1990). " From a New Zealand Diary".
When I first heard it, I was - disappointed. It seemed loose, overlong, episodic, anecdotal of its songs, marches and dances. It seemed no match for the brilliance and memorable cogency of 3 and 4 (thrilling discoveries!). But early this morning after the concerto I was gripped from the first bar by a sonic imagination & a freewheeling musical allusiveness which I seemed completely to miss, or misunderstand, first go... the 3rd movement, "Kyeburn Diggings", is an extraordinary Ivesian Vision, where dark, static, dreamlike chords and glittering textures are cut across by raucous popular marches - and yes, it actually quotes... Columbia, Gem of the Ocean….
Looking back now, I do at least recall my disappointment with the 7th, called "The Dreams of Gandalf" based on an abandoned Lord of the Rings ballet... No.8 seemed like a fragmentary, weary echo of former glories...the 5th has three very evocative middle-movement intermezzi but I felt the longer outer ones were...(critical cliché alert) - "over-extended"...
For me the "core" achievements were the Symphonies 3 and 4 - very spare, sub-25' 3-movement works tightly argued from short, simple motifs...
No.2 "Symphonic Dialogue", a brilliantly playful percussion concerto. (What?! An ENTERTAINING percussion concerto? It's really true...)
Best single CPO issue, or best starting point at least, is probably the one with 2,4 and the Horn Concerto, another work in his lighter lyrical vein...
Oh and, the BIS issue of 4&5 seemed to me less recommendable than these CPO releases, which have excellent, audiophile grade sound.
***
Top-Recommend....Norrkoping/DS Rheinland-Pfalz/Rasilainen/CPO
...there is a complete set of CDs on CPO too, gorgeous set with three wonderful concertos & great notes.....
Aulis Sallinen: Cello Concerto OP.44 (1976). Jan-erik Gustaffson/Norrkoping SO/Rasilainen. CPO CD, Sallinen Edition 2011.
A superbly imaginative 20-minute adagio/moderato is followed by a light and brilliant presto-prestissimo. A stunning piece, c/w...
Symphony No.6. OP.65 (1990). " From a New Zealand Diary".
When I first heard it, I was - disappointed. It seemed loose, overlong, episodic, anecdotal of its songs, marches and dances. It seemed no match for the brilliance and memorable cogency of 3 and 4 (thrilling discoveries!). But early this morning after the concerto I was gripped from the first bar by a sonic imagination & a freewheeling musical allusiveness which I seemed completely to miss, or misunderstand, first go... the 3rd movement, "Kyeburn Diggings", is an extraordinary Ivesian Vision, where dark, static, dreamlike chords and glittering textures are cut across by raucous popular marches - and yes, it actually quotes... Columbia, Gem of the Ocean….
Looking back now, I do at least recall my disappointment with the 7th, called "The Dreams of Gandalf" based on an abandoned Lord of the Rings ballet... No.8 seemed like a fragmentary, weary echo of former glories...the 5th has three very evocative middle-movement intermezzi but I felt the longer outer ones were...(critical cliché alert) - "over-extended"...
For me the "core" achievements were the Symphonies 3 and 4 - very spare, sub-25' 3-movement works tightly argued from short, simple motifs...
No.2 "Symphonic Dialogue", a brilliantly playful percussion concerto. (What?! An ENTERTAINING percussion concerto? It's really true...)
Best single CPO issue, or best starting point at least, is probably the one with 2,4 and the Horn Concerto, another work in his lighter lyrical vein...
Oh and, the BIS issue of 4&5 seemed to me less recommendable than these CPO releases, which have excellent, audiophile grade sound.
***
Top-Recommend....Norrkoping/DS Rheinland-Pfalz/Rasilainen/CPO
...there is a complete set of CDs on CPO too, gorgeous set with three wonderful concertos & great notes.....
Comment