Unsung Composer Nations?

[Mark Thomas]

Kriton mentioned both as being the springboard for the post which started the thread1

[Delicious Manager]

A perfect candidate for this thread is from a country not yet mentioned - the principality of Liechtenstein - Joseph Rheinberger (1839 - 1901)

Oops, silly me! I concentrated on his list and overlooked the 'springboard'. Apologies.

[ttle]

Zadeja produced the first Albanian symphony in 1956, but it's certainly an overstatement to suggest that he's the "most famous" or "the father of Albanian classical music".

Well, Zadeja is indeed far from being the only interesting Albanian composer, and he had worthy predecessors, but isn't he still the most famous in his home country, even though Aleksandër Peçi and Thoma Shimaku have probably gained more exposure abroad in recent years?

[ttle]

Dear all, just a small question. Remembering Rheinberger was from Liechtenstein, I was wondering if there would be any other composers from Europe's smaller states. They would have to be unsung, because - without wanting to sound arrogant - I've never heard of them - or I just haven't got my facts straight...

I'm thinking of:
- Monaco
- Andorra
- Luxembourg
- San Marino
- Malta
- Vatican City

A composer from that last state would probably have written a lot of masses...

Indeed, the most "famous" Vatican composer I can think of is Mgr. Marco Frisina!

Luxembourg boasts quite a few modern composers, of which I would mention René Hemmer, Marcel Wengler, as well as Georges Lentz, a fellow student of mine at the Paris Conservatory, who later settled in Australia and whose work has been championed by Naxos.

From San Marino, the only name I can think of is Cesare Franchini Tassini (1925-2010). Little of his music can be heard online, and makes one want to hear more.

Throughout its several centuries of musical life, Malta has had many important composers as well. Joseph Vella, currently composer-in-residence with the Malta National Orchestra, wrote the first ("classical") song-cycle in Maltese. His violin concerto, recorded by Gega, is impressive and shows some affinity with Berg and Britten. Generally speaking, he is no modernist but stands out as a very eloquent composer, a bit like another unsung master, Uroš Krek from Slovenia. In the younger generation, Durham-trained Christopher Muscat made a name for himself, both as conductor (he revived Paolino Vassallo's symphony if I recall correctly) and as a composer.

If you care for autonomous entities, you should not forget the Faroe Islands (Sunleif Rasmussen gained some fame when his 1st symphony, "Oceanic Days", won the much-coveted Nordic Council Prize, but others like Kristian Blak are also significant), the Åland Islands (from which Lars Karlsson is probably the best-known composer) or the Isle of Man, home of this author of timeless orchestral miniatures, Haydn Wood.

[dafrieze]

Actually, I would think the most famous of the Vatican composers is Dom Lorenzo Perosi, who directed (and composed much of) the Sistine Chapel's music for over 50 years.  No symphonies or operas from him, obviously, but plenty of fairly beautiful choral music.

[eschiss1]

IMSLP lists the following composers from before the modern era from Malta - Girolamo Abos (1715-60) (Maltese-Italian composer of operas and liturgical music, see Wikipedia), Nicolo Isouard, and maybe Salvatore Bertezen (ca.1790s).

[alberto]

Dom Lorenzo Perosi (see my earlier reply here about his nationality) composed in his (maybe too) huge output, a vast amount of not religious works: 14 strings quartets, 2 violin concertos, 1 clarinet concerto, 9 orchestral suites dedicated to various Italian Cities (between them his small natal city, Tortona).
I know the clarinet Concerto and the orchestral Suites "Torino" and "Milano" (the latter left unfinished).
I have found them playful stuff, in a post- (and sub-) brahmsian idiom. In the orchestral Suites there is no popular or folk element (the contrary happens in Leone Sinigaglia's orchestral Suite "Piemonte").
Unfortunately the performances recorded (mostly by Bongiovanni) are generally  rather poor.

[Ser Amantio di Nicolao]

IMSLP lists the following composers from before the modern era from Malta - Girolamo Abos (1715-60) (Maltese-Italian composer of operas and liturgical music, see Wikipedia), Nicolo Isouard, and maybe Salvatore Bertezen (ca.1790s).

Let's not forget Francesco Azopardi (1748 - 1809).  I have some Camilleri on disc - very enjoyable.

I had no idea there were any Monegasque composers - I shall have to look into M. Abbiati.  Same for Sammarinese.

Incidentally, I may say (may I?  'Course I may. :-) ) that I was responsible for some of the early filling out of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Albanian_composers way back when.  Also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Mongolian_composers, which I actually started...

As for Luxembourg, some recordings (mostly, it is to be admitted, of contemporary music) may be found for purchase here: http://www.lgnm.lu/html/recordings/index.html

But why stop at Europe?  I can think of at least one example of a composer from each of the following who might fit our mold:

- Jamaica
- Haiti
- Dominican Republic
- Philippines
- Jordan

(Caveat: I have been known to collect by country as much as by composer, so I have an...eclectic, shall we say, spread of nations represented on my shelves.  )

[JimL]

Would Jose White qualify as a Cuban composer, despite the fact that he spent most of his life in France and Brazil?

[alberto]

Philippines:
Lucrecia Kasilag (born 1918)
Alfredo Buenaventura (born 1929)
I have violin concertos by them on a Marco Polo Cd 8.220419 (1983 recording, in Philippines)

Malta:
I have taken off from a remote corner of not too ordered shelves
"Discover Malta" a Discover Cd 920163 featuring music by
Charles Camilleri (already mentioned) : Maltese Dances, Mediterranean Dances
John Galea : Ggantija (suite)
Josie Mallia Pulvirenti : Impressione Sinfonica
The often named Michael Laus conducts the "Slovak Radio New Philharmonic Orchestra" (1992 recording)

[Ser Amantio di Nicolao]

Philippines:
Lucrecia Kasilag (born 1918)
Alfredo Buenaventura (born 1929)
I have violin concertos by them on a Marco Polo Cd 8.220419 (1983 recording, in Philippines)

Malta:
I have taken off from a remote corner of not too ordered shelves
"Discover Malta" a Discover Cd 920163 featuring music by
Charles Camilleri (already mentioned) : Maltese Dances, Mediterranean Dances
John Galea : Ggantija (suite)
Josie Mallia Pulvirenti : Impressione Sinfonica
The often named Michael Laus conducts the "Slovak Radio New Philharmonic Orchestra" (1992 recording)

I have the first of those, and my father has the second; I own a disc of Camilleri's chamber music, also.

[Christo]

On my shelves I find Liechtenstein represented by Joseph Rheinberger, Albania by Petër Gaci, Tonin Harapi, Limos Dizdari, Nicola Zoraqui and Shpëtim Saraçi (all on one disc called `Rhapsodia Albanese'), the Faeroe Islands by a BIS cd with wind music by a series of Faroese composers including Kári Baek, Kristian Blak and Pauli í Sandagerði, lots of Basque and Icelandic composers and a couple of other small nations.

Malta is relatively well represented by Charles Camilleri (including his Pawlu ta' Malta (St. Paul in Malta) oratorio I bought in Malta, last year), the 'Discover Malta' disc already mentioned (with Camilleri, John Galea and Josie Mallia Pulverenti) and also Joseph Vella (a Bulgarian Gega cd with his Sinfonietta, Seher song cycle and some chamber music, also already mentioned probably).

BTW, I found a fine music shop in Valletta last year, but not much Maltese music that I didn't own already. Just one or two additions to my small Camilleri collection including the Olympia discs with his piano music and Unicorn-Kanchana with his organ works. Another one being the disc (Diversions label) with the Bournemouth SO under Brian Schembri conducting his 'Maltese' compositions (Knights of Malta Ballet Suite, Concertino no. 4 'Summer Nights in Malta' for two pianos and orchestra, Four Legends, Overture Classique, Intermezoo from Il-Weghda, Malta Suite)

Now, what I look forward to is the first Frisian composer to appear in these columns. 

[Peter1953]

Now, what I look forward to is to the first Frisian composer to appear in these columns. 

Here you are, the best (West) Frisian composer ever: http://www.paulusfolkertsma.nl/ 

[Ser Amantio di Nicolao]

Malta is relatively well represented by Charles Camilleri (including his Pawlu ta' Malta (St. Paul in Malta) oratorio I bought on Malta, last year), the 'Discover Malta' disc already mentioned (with Camilleri, John Galea and Josie Mallia Pulverenti) and also Joseph Vella (a Bulgarian Gega cd with his Sinfonietta, Seher song cycle and some chamber music, also already mentioned probably).

Goodness, I'd forgotten about the Vella.  One of my first purchases, out of the cutout bin at Tower Records, way back when...

[Christo]

Now, what I look forward to is to the first Frisian composer to appear in these columns. 

Here you are, the best (West) Frisian composer ever: http://www.paulusfolkertsma.nl/ 

Yes, I know his name (after having seen a programme devoted to him by the Frisian regional public broadcasters). I didn't realize felllow Dutchmen - or are you Frisian? - would compete, here.