It's actually a compilation of the much larger complete series on BIS, but it's enough for me.
It's actually a compilation of the much larger complete series on BIS, but it's enough for me.
So the piece that converted me to a hardcore Sibelius fanatic was the 3rd movement of the 4th Symphony (Il Tempo Largo). It's another of his very dark, slow, brooding, and icy cold environmentally descriptive pieces. He wrote this symphony when he had throat cancer and thought he was going to die, so he conveys that well in this work. It's a 14-minute masterpiece unto itself - sometimes I listen to it on its own (on repeat!). Just SO good. Sometimes he breaks it down to just a solo clarinet yet you are left hanging on every single note being played. There is a quality to this music that I Can see works so well for prog fans - it's hard to explain but he has so many "proggy" moments.
Anyway, when you guys get this set, make sure you check out the 4th Symphony (which is my favorite of the 7 by a hair). BTW, if you guys stream, this set and all of the BIS Sibelius recordings are on Amazon HD, Spoitfy, Apple, etc ....I listen to this stuff a lot this way - sometimes too lazy to bust out the CD set!
If it isn't Krautrock, it's krap.
"And it's only the giving
That makes you what you are" - Ian Anderson
Who does 14 minutes? Vanska? Mine is 8:42 long by Gibson. And Berglund/Bournemouth is 11 mnutes.
Yeah, the Vanska/Lahti version is 14+. His newer version with Minnesota is 13+. I do have the Berglund at 11. Once you hear Vanska's, every other version seems rushed and slightly forced. Even Segerstam is at 11+ and some of his stuff tends to be on the slower side. Jarvi is also at 11+. The Lahti version is the one I take to the grave with me now, but it's certainly interesting to hear other versions. It's amazing how the same music can sound so different just based on different tempi. I just love the way Vanska lets this piece unfold without ever sounding like it's dragging. In any event, it's a such a killer movement.Originally Posted by StarThrower
If it isn't Krautrock, it's krap.
"And it's only the giving
That makes you what you are" - Ian Anderson
So I just looked this up and largo as a tempo marking can fluctuate between 40 and 60 bpm, and therein lies the discrepancy (in minutes) with this movement.
If it isn't Krautrock, it's krap.
"And it's only the giving
That makes you what you are" - Ian Anderson
Yeah, I just listened to it twice. I like dark symphonic stuff. Although I didn't find it bleak in any way. Just achingly beautiful. I was totally happy with Berglund for a number of years until I started trying out different conductors. I'm even going back and listening to some of the old guys like Klemperer, Walter, Munch, and Beecham for different pieces. Klempy is truly devastating on many pieces.
Cool - let me know if you find any of those that are worth a spin. This music is so crystalline that great sonics have to be part of the equation for me.
If it isn't Krautrock, it's krap.
"And it's only the giving
That makes you what you are" - Ian Anderson
I bought the current issue of BBC Music Magazine which includes a Sibelius CD of tone poems conducted by Sakari Oramo. This will tide me over until I get the BIS set. Includes En Saga, The Oceanside's, and Tapiola.
As far as the old guard conductors, I don't listen to them for Sibelius. But check out Dutilleux's 2nd symphony by Munch. Serge Baudo for Honegger, and Karel Ancerl's recordings on Supraphon. Janacek's Glagolitic Mass/Taras Bulba in particular. And his Mahler 9.
Strauss's Metamorphosen by Klemperer is another one that knocked me out. I've been listening to more romantic music that I've neglected in the past and those Klemperer EMI sets are cheap with good sound for 60 year old recordings. Same with the George Szell stuff which sounds even better in some cases. I'm not a big Schumann fan but Szell's 1958 recording of No.2 sounds incredible!
I've been enjoying the talk on Sibelius. He was always one of my favorite composers. My new label that I've been digging into is CPO which has many little known composers. Richard Wetz Requiem
Yeah, CPO has tons of stuff. I have quite a few of their orchestral sets by 20th century composers.
Go ahead, throw flaming torches my way.I don't care.This is Indian classical music.North Indian(Hindustani).This is as great a performance on sitar as i've ever heard, and i've heard a few.
Irshad Khan.Perfect pitch.Sublime command of the bends and smears that are an integral part of this music.Out-fucking standing.YMMV.
"please do not understand me too quickly"-andre gide
No flames from me. Long time Indian music aficionado and crappy sitar player here. I was lucky enough to see Ravi Shankar and Allah Rakha back in the day. If you enjoy this style of sitar playing with the emphasis on the bends (mend) then I trust you are familiar with the master of this style, Vilayat Khan (Irshad's Uncle) who created it - the "gayaki ang" approach whereby the goal is to mimic the human voice. No Vilayat, no Irshad. And yes, Irshad's playing is indeed sublime.
Good lord that was killer! Insane musicianship. No complaints here - I love Indian classical music. I went through a huge binge at one point in my life and devoured a ton of this music. There is a decent-sized chunk of Indian classical sounds on my 2006 Cardboard Amanda album - my buddy Dee Harris played Indian slide guitar and sarod on the album. Thx Sir Walter
If it isn't Krautrock, it's krap.
"And it's only the giving
That makes you what you are" - Ian Anderson
Vilayat Khan,Ravi Shankar and Nikhil Banerjee are the sitar masters that i gravitated toward as i was first delving into Hindustani sitar music.In time, i slowly became aware of many other masterful sitar players.I wish there were more high quality recordings of Vilayat Khan.There's no shortage of good recordings by Shankar and Banerjee.
"please do not understand me too quickly"-andre gide
also Shujaat Khan, Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan, Shahid Parvez , Budhaditya Mukerjee, Rais Khan and Niladri Kumar all great players. There are a lot of great players of Carnatic (South Indian) music of course like Chitti Babu the veena master, and a personal favorite of mine the vocalist Ramnad Krishnan that had a relatively widely distributed album that I've loved for decades.
Last edited by Buddhabreath; 11-19-2019 at 09:48 AM.
All names posted are masters of their art.Two woman sitarists who exhibit mastery are Anupama Bhagwat and Roona Panesar.In years past i was frustrated that there weren't that many cds of Carnatic music, certainly as compared to available cds of Hindustani music.This has changed, thank God(Vishnu?).
Darbar festival has dozens of amazing vids on YouTube.Here's one.Jayanthi Kumaresh on veena.
Last edited by walt; 11-19-2019 at 10:44 AM.
"please do not understand me too quickly"-andre gide
Hey thanks Walt for pointing out the Darbar festival vids on Youtube - was not aware.
Big fan of Sibelius, one of my Grandma's favorites. Been digging it since I was pre-teen, actually.
As for Hindustani classical music, Bannerjee is my favorite Sitar player. His alaps are things of beauty. Love Vilayat Khan, as well. I used to go see concerts at Ali Akbar Khan's school quite a bit, too, here in NorCal. Haven't been in quite a while though.
If you've not heard Rudra Vina, (I know Walt has, we've discussed)--get some recordings of Z.M. Dagar playing the thing. Mostly slow, Dhrupad style Alaps. It's amazing. I also have a sitar, though I wouldn't say I can play it. I've taken two lessons.
"And this is the chorus.....or perhaps it's a bridge...."
Thanks for the reminder! I have heard the rudra veena and Z playing it, but only on YouTube thus far. It is indeed amazing and I will look for a good recording. A definite gap in my collection. The expression of his playing is remarkable - analogous to the surbahar in my mind as it exceeds the sitar in the extreme-mend department.
This medieval recording is not really "classical", but closer here than anywhere else I guess. I listened to the whole album twice yesterday while it was overcast and drizzly - perfect album for that type of atmosphere. Pretty dark overall, and wonderful vocals and beautiful playing (lutes, viols, cittern, organ, etc).
If it isn't Krautrock, it's krap.
"And it's only the giving
That makes you what you are" - Ian Anderson
The Leaper is 11:04.
Some other awesome shit I have been digging lately.
I'm listening to Daphnis et Chloe by Charles Munch and Orchestre de Paris from the Warner box.
Haven’t played that in awhile. Always liked it. Have to pull it out.
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