Thursday, November 20, 2008

What I am Listening to Today















Erkki Melartin 1875-1937

His music is new to me, and quite good. I have just started to sample it, listening to the Symphony # 1 of 1902 and now the Symphony # 6 of 1924, which is quite a bit more harmonically advanced and darker.

A short blurb from the Ondine Records site sums up his career and style:

"Equally renowned as a composer and as a conductor, Melartin was responsible in the early decades of this century for introducing Finnish audiences to the music of Mahler, Strauss, and other moderns. His own music - crowned by the six symphonies - reveals his complete familiarity with the late Romantic style, while maintaining a richly individual voice."

I hear Mahler, especially the 5-7th symphonies, Sibelius too in his music, but as the quote above, combined with an individual voice.

After hearing the 1st once and only through part of the 6th, I do think this is a composer to explore.

Ondine ODE931-2 Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra Leonid Grin.

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