Unsung Composers

The Music => Recordings & Broadcasts => Topic started by: jasthill on Sunday 27 November 2022, 04:38

Title: Ole Hjellemo: Orchestral Works
Post by: jasthill on Sunday 27 November 2022, 04:38
Happy New Year from Sterling:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9394342--ole-hjellemo-orchestral-works
Title: Re: Ole Hjellemo: Orchestral Works
Post by: Alan Howe on Sunday 27 November 2022, 08:49
Yes - I spotted this too. Wonder just how good the music is - and the orchestra, which is based in Serbia:
https://www.makriscompetition.com/orchestra

From the excerpts, the string section sounds somewhat thin and glassy.
Title: Re: Ole Hjellemo: Orchestral Works
Post by: Mark Thomas on Sunday 27 November 2022, 09:40
Well, as far as the orchestra goes, I guess that beggars can't be choosers. The quality of the music is a different matter, but the whole of the Violin Concerto's finale (all three minutes of it!) is on YouTube here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_OgUoxYGGM).
Title: Re: Ole Hjellemo: Orchestral Works
Post by: Alan Howe on Sunday 27 November 2022, 09:43
Question is: I may be a beggar as far as this repertoire is concerned, but am I a chooser? Guess I'll have to fork out to find out...
Title: Re: Ole Hjellemo: Orchestral Works
Post by: Mark Thomas on Sunday 27 November 2022, 10:28
Aye, there's the rub.
Title: Re: Ole Hjellemo: Orchestral Works
Post by: terry martyn on Sunday 27 November 2022, 11:33
Just listened to it. A little too late-Romantic for me. I will play the Jose White now to get back to the high noon of Romanticism, where I am more comfortable
Title: Re: Ole Hjellemo: Orchestral Works
Post by: QuinoneX on Sunday 27 November 2022, 14:56
Norwegian National Library has scores of the Symphony and the Rondo
https://www.nb.no/items/3cf953ef3228e36bf968230281ee06b2?page=0&searchText=Ole%20Hjellemo
https://www.nb.no/items/4ab45cce71cc07d92d70af4461d137f0?page=0&searchText=Hjellemo
Title: Re: Ole Hjellemo: Orchestral Works
Post by: Alan Howe on Wednesday 07 December 2022, 22:46
The symphony is a big, blowsy, filmic epic (all 48½ minutes of it). It has certain echoes of early Sibelius and is certainly an enjoyable listen, but I can't imagine it making any headway with the public. Overall the idiom is late, late romantic.

The orchestra certainly works hard despite having a less than starry string section, but they do have rather a lot to do.

Well worth hearing, but don't expect a masterpiece.