Alba records have at last released the first ever recording of Aarre Merikanto's Second Symphony (a disc containing the first and the third came out a few years ago). Subtitled "War symphony" and written 1918, the work signals a transition in Merikanto's career from a talented youngster to maturity; the third movement, largo, is a clear anticipation of the brooding atmosphere of "Juha", on which the composer to set out to work in 1920. But the true glory of the disc must be "Ekho", an orchestral song, a setting of a poem by V. A. Koskenniemi, which Merikanto wrote 1922, immediately after completing Juha. This is Merikanto at his very best, and Alba earns their only minus for omitting to include in this disc yet another work by the composer, "Syyssonetti" (Autumnal sonnet). This is another orchestral song, written the same year and a sort of little sister (or brother) to Ekho; the disc clocks in around 57 minutes and it could have been easily fitted onto it. That said, this is in my opinion easily the most exciting release of Finnish orchestral music for a long time.
http://www.alba.fi/en/shop/products/5022 (http://www.alba.fi/en/shop/products/5022)
Great news. Duly ordered!
My copy arrived from Alba today. Cost an arm and a leg to get hold of it early, but it's worth it to be able to report on a large-scale (46 mins+), extremely colourful and powerful symphony of a late, late-romantic cast (it was written in 1918). The idiom? Basically, Symphony No.2 is like No.1, only more so. It actually reminded me a lot of Bax, with that mix of exotic-sounding orchestration (the influence of the French impressionists is palpable at times) and the occasional reminiscence of Sibelius. Not perhaps the most individual of symphonies, but there's so much to enjoy en route, as it were. Mind you, the brooding third movement seems to speak of more personal things - especially the disturbing trombone glissandos. Good stuff.
"Basically, Symphony No. 2 is like No. 1, only more so."
You must forgive, Alan, a gentle "eh?".
I previously posted about No.1:
<<Well, Symphony No.1 is indeed a gorgeous listen. You can play 'spot the influence', of course - and you'll certainly hear Wagner, Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, Scriabin, etc. - but in the final analysis you'll just enjoy a knock-out piece by a 20 year-old composer who's obviously thoroughly enjoying meeting the challenge of writing a symphony. Don't miss this one...>>
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,2048.15.html (http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,2048.15.html)
...so I think my meaning is clear.
The CD is now being advertised by MDT as a future (29/4) release:
http://www.mdt.co.uk/merikanto-symphony-no-2-ekho-petri-sakari-alba-sacd.html (http://www.mdt.co.uk/merikanto-symphony-no-2-ekho-petri-sakari-alba-sacd.html)
A copy destined for me is hopefully right now high in the clouds between Finland and the UK, and I'm much looking forward to it. I hope it will be as rewarding as the previous disc of Symphonies 1 and 3.
In the meantime, here's a teaser: can anyone produce a satisfactory explanation of the image on the CD cover? Looks to my mind very odd, but then I've got a miserable visual sense. Is it to do with, for example, echoes? No matter!
Allow a 'plug' for Merikanto's opera 'Juha' to steal a ride on the post. He composed it in 1920-23, but a production was withheld, the music being considered too advanced for the audience. In 1935 Madetoja composed his version (to the same libretto) which met with success. Both operas in my view are terrific pieces, but for me Merikanto has the edge on Madetoja whose version is perhaps tamer and more palatable to opera audiences. It is a domestic tragedy inhabiting a similar dramatic world to Wozzeck and Jenufa, but the music is quite different. Raw, powerful, brooding passionate stuff guaranteed to knock the socks off and leave you short of breath (ye gods, my musical descriptions are in evident decline). And there are two good recordings of it. Sadly I believe the opera was first produced just after Merikanto's death, which just goes to show the world is indifferent to human hopes and aspirations.
The cover is a painting called "they see what we do not see" by a Finnish artist Otto Mäkilä (1904-1955), but I'm equally at a loss to say what is the connection; apart from the purely external fact that Mäkilä and A. Merikanto were both first-generation "modernists".
I'd say the cover has a visual link with the idea of an echo, yes.
Reading this thread, prompted me to get out my copy of the CD of symphonies 1 + 3. I bought it quite some time ago and only played it once or twice, not greatly taken with the music at the time. This time though, I was pleasantly surprised! I liked the music a lot, lovely melodies(yes, I can hear influences of other composers but all the same, Merikanto also has his own voice) and nicely orchestrated. Because of this, I am definitely going to purchase the new CD, especially if symphony no 2 is like symphony no 1 but even better!