Haarklou: Creation & Man

[mikehopf]

What is regarded as Haarklou's greatest work, the Oratorio " Creation and Man", was broadcast on NKR Klassik ( Norwegian Radio) over the weekend and is being repeated tonight. Happily this monumental work  is also available on demand at the radio station.

Haarklou's 4th Symphony can be downloaded from youtube. I believe that he also wrote both a violin and a piano concerto.

[Alan Howe]

Can anyone record this, please?

[Mark Thomas]

Recording now.... (thanks, Mike)

[Alan Howe]

Oh, well done that man!

[mikehopf]

Here's the link:

https://radio.nrk.no/serie/musikkmosaikk/MKKL27001218/13-05-2018

[Alan Howe]

The Haarklou starts at about 01:07...

[Mark Thomas]

A recording is now in our Downloads Board here.

[Alan Howe]

Opinions?

[Mark Thomas]

Haven't had time to listen to it properly yet, I 'm afraid.

[jerfilm]

I recorded it streaming and so had the privilege of hearing the whole thing.   My initial reaction is, it's very long and non stop singing.  And frankly not terribly memorable.   

Jerry

[Mark Thomas]

Your impression is pretty accurate of the whole IMHO. It a rather earnest, remorseless piece which seems much longer than its 87 minutes. I can't say that it made a friend in me at first hearing.

[Ilja]

One should perhaps remember that the authority declaring this Haarklou's "masterpiece" was penned in a pretty religious country (as Norway was at that time) in the early 20th century. Modern sensibilities place their emphasis ... differently.

[Alan Howe]

Well, I suppose Britain had its share of popular religious works in the 19thC - many of which we now find insufferably sentimental, whether or not we profess faith ourselves in the here and now. The problem with the Haarklou, though, is that it's, erm, just plain boring.