Living Symphonists

[isokani]

Yes, the Finns love symphonies. My friend Juha T. Koskinen wrote one a few years ago, I think Oramo conducted it. Not sure. It was done in Helsinki. Then there's also Leif S...
Julian Anderson wrote a symphony not so long ago.
Curiously, Chris Dench renamed several of his pieces "symphony" as well.
Some experimental composers have been writing them. James Saunders wrote a Second Symphony a few years ago, following it with Second Symphony no.2. John White wrote 30 or so symphonies in the 70s, all about a minute long. He told me they quite annoyed the Richmond Philharmonic Society (or whatever is was).
In France, Christophe Sirodeau (a pianist you may know for his recordings of Feinberg and Skalkottas) has written at least 7, and this last one will be played in Montpellier next year.
So all is not lost!

[Alan Howe]

To offer one ray of hope, Finnish symphonies (by no means complete) most from the last ten years:

Harri Ahmas  2-2002, 2003
Atso Almila 2- 2003, 2008
Kimmo Hakola 1- 2009
Eero Hameenniemi 4 total ( last one2009)
Lasse Jalava 4
Jouni Kaipainen 4
Lars Karlsson 2
Ilkka Kuusisto 2
Kyllonen 2
Jukka Linkola 1- 2004
Pehr-Henrik Nordgren  8 great symphonies
Seppo Pohjola  2- 2001, 2006
Tapio Tuomela 2
Harri Vuori 2- 2003, 2007

Which are the best of these, do you think - and why?

[Dundonnell]

I don't doubt that there are composers out there writing symphonies and I also agree that Finland has an admirable track record of producing fine symphonists in the decades since Sibelius was active. Composers like Melartin, Merikanto, Englund, Kokkonen, Rautavaara, Sallinen, Klami, and still today, Kalevi Aho have all certainly hugely enhanced the symphonic repertoire.

Of the names you listed however the symphonies I have heard by Hameenniemi, Kaipainen and Nordgren really do not appeal to me very much.

Now...you will say that I am making a different point, that I am now lamenting the absence of Living Symphonists that I happen to like. That is fair enough comment

But in my original post I did say:
"I honestly cannot think of any others who really qualify as composers of symphonies that have made much impression on me or whose symphonies have any real basis in any form of tonality, traditional structure, symphonic coherence, whatever".

So....if any of these Finnish composers are writing symphonies which can be compared in either subjective or objective analysis to those being written by Aho then I too would very much like to meet their acquaintance

[BFerrell]

Seppo Pohjola's two, Kaipainen's and Vuori's are fine works to start with. Of course Nordgren's to me are among the greatest written in the last 50 years. I would love to hear Hakola's soon as he is a fascinating composer. As to the why, these works speak to the living and display a real individualism and are not academic in any way. Pohjola's particularly are melodically involving. There is no "note spinning" but real inspiration ( in my opinion of course). These composers prove that government support (without pressure or influence) works.

[isokani]

Hakola - how could I forget him!?
His piano concerto is written in such a way that suggests he would write a good symphony.
He invited me to play in Helsinki once so he's definitely a good bloke.

[BFerrell]

I can usually track down the YLE recording but haven't attempted the Hakola yet. Uljas Pulkkis has sent me his very fine, romantic 2011 piano concerto as a video. I'll find the link and post it.

[Dundonnell]

I downloaded Kaipainen's 1st Symphony from Amazon the other day and I have his 2nd and 3rd on disc. I also have Nordgren's 3rd and 5th on disc.

What I shall promise you is that I shall give them another listen to see if they make a real impression on me

[BFerrell]

I just posted the video link to Pulkkis' piano concerto.
Do listen to Nordgren's 7th and 8th.

[Dundonnell]

I shall try

I could of course point out that Nordgren is actually dead and therefore doesn't actually qualify as a "Living Symphonist"

[BFerrell]

Kuusisto's 1st just came out on BIS and is quite marvelous. Sorry, Nordgren died relatively young and not that long ago. He was composing to the very end. But I just had to mention those great symphonies.

[Alan Howe]

Judging by the excerpts available online, Kaipainen is a good deal more approachable than Vuori...

[Dundonnell]

Judging by the excerpts available online, Kaipainen is a good deal more approachable than Vuori...

Oh........I am not sure that bodes terribly well for my tastes

[Alan Howe]

I didn't say I liked it!

[Dundonnell]

I have just listened to Kaipainen's 3rd again and now the Bassoon Concerto.

There is little real point in repeating that this is simply not music with which I can feel much empathy. There is a point beyond which I cannot go, where the absence of melody or a particular rich orchestral grandeur of sonority or a structural development I can understand and appreciate leaves me so uncomfortable that there is no emotional response, no pleasure to be obtained.

I am not a musician or a musicologist, I have little knowledge of musical technique. All I can claim is a fairly broad familiarity with the sort of music which I can appreciate and a reasonably detailed knowledge of even the more obscure composers who wrote that sort of music.

With this sort of music I am out of my depth. That is-beyond any doubt-my loss and I do not criticise or condemn those who can appreciate what is obviously beyond me. I have tried with what, to my ears, is less accessible music but...........

Now...Ragnar Soderlind is another story and I shall write about him shortly

[Peter1953]

I'm trying to figure out for what kind of audience contemporary symphonists compose / have composed their music? For a broad audience? For a committed (small?) group lovers of modern music? For themselves ?
Quite frequently I read in newspapers sombre articles or concert reviews, stating that classical music (or music written for instruments used for a symphony orchestra) hardly attract people anymore, in particular young people. Modern symphonies can be less accessible, which might alienate people.
Any thoughts or comments?